Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, September 11, 1984
On September 11, 1984 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, registered N4066T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- September 11, 1984 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 · all FIREFLY 7s on the register
- Registration
- N4066T · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLOON LANDED IN A FIELD AND AS WIND DRIFTED IT, THE ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER A PWR LINE. THE PLT SAID HIS BURNER MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE INACCURATE LANDING. ANOTHER ACCOUNT WAS TOLD LATER IN WHICH THE PLT SWITCHED TO AN EMPTY PROPANE TANK FOR LANDING. THE BURNER WAS TESTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY.
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
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 175 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 151 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 326 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1984; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,016 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cedar Rapids IA at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from CID
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.
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.