Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15 accident near Elk Garden, Virginia, March 27, 1998
On March 27, 1998 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15, registered N31226, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elk Garden, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper weather evaluation. The gusty wind condition was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1998 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Elk Garden, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15 FIREFLY 8B · all FIREFLY 8B-15s on the register
- Registration
- N31226 · registry record · serial F8B-S17
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he received a weather briefing prior to departure. A tape of the weather briefing was not available, but a check of the weather available to the briefer revealed that high winds, and gusty conditions were forecast for the general area. The pilot reported that he encountered these conditions after departure, and during the landing, the basket was dragged for 438 feet. About 34 miles southwest at Bristol, TN, the wind was reported to be from 200 degrees at 10 gusting 18 knots.
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: 512 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 499 as pilot in command; 37 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 103 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1997; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 926 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Abingdon VA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC98LA085.