Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 accident near Overland Park, Kansas, June 24, 1984
On June 24, 1984, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, registered N4070W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Overland Park, Kansas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1984
- Place
- Overland Park, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 · all FIREFLY 7s on the register
- Registration
- N4070W · no longer on the register · serial 10057
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO A SIGHT-SEEING FLT, THE PLT ORBAINED A WX BRIEFING & RELEASED TEST BALLOONS TO CHECK THE WIND SPD & DRCTN. THE PREVAILING WIND WAS IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION AT ABOUT 8 KTS. THE PLT OF N4070W INITIATED HIS DEPARTURE FROM A SCHOOL YARD AFTER ANOTHER BALLOON TOOK OFF WITH NO DIFFICULTY. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE BALLOON LIFTED OFF & WAS PROCEEDING IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED AN UNEXPECTED, UNFORCAST WIND GUST FROM THE WEST. HE STATED THAT THE WIND BLEW THE BALLOON TO THE ENE TOWARD AN ELECTRICAL POLE ABOUT 180 FT AWAY. HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR OVER THE POLE & VENTED THE BALLOON PRIOR TO IMPACT. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE ELECTRICAL ARCING, THE SKIRT OF THE BALLOON IGNITED & THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR BURNS FROM A SHOWER OF SPARKS. ONE BALLOON ATTACH CABLE WAS BURNED THRU.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 190 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 178 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 11, 1984; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4070W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.