Balloon Works FIREFLY-7 accident near Gasburg, Virginia, May 23, 1999
On May 23, 1999 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY-7, registered N9070T, was involved in an accident near Gasburg, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The unforecast high winds that required the pilot in command to make a precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1999 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Gasburg, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY-7 · all FIREFLY-7s on the register
- Registration
- N9070T · no longer on the register · serial 24634A
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The hot air balloon launched under light wind conditions. As the balloon was approaching the first steerage, at about 50 feet above the ground, the pilot had to climb the balloon to 300 feet to complete the turn. During the climb, a windshear flattened out one side of the balloon, re-inflating a moment later, violently shaking the entire aircraft. The pilot decided to abort the flight. A hay field was spotted about 4 miles ahead of the balloon. As the balloon neared the ground, the winds continued to blow, and the basket collided with a hay bail, at a speed of about 15 knots. After impacting the hay bail, the basket touched down, dragged along the ground, and rolled over. The balloon then collapsed completely to the ground.
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: 830 hours in all; 338 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 778 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 365 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 1999; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,980 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Lake Gaston Res VA at 11:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:01 am from AVC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
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.