Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15 accident near Oklahoma City, OK
On December 9, 1995, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15 (balloon) was involved in an accident near Oklahoma City, OK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 9, 1995
- Place
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15 · Balloon
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.451°N, 97.570°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X04994
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 9, 1995, at 1603 central standard time, a Balloon Works Firefly 7-15, N25756, was destroyed by an inflight fire/explosion that erupted when it collided with power lines during low altitude straight and level flight near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The private pilot and the passenger received fatal injuries. The balloon, owned and operated by the pilot, departed Oklahoma City approximately 1554 for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The balloon was the second of a group of three balloons to depart from a vacant lot near the intersection of NE 7th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. According to members of the ground crew, the balloon initially ascended to approximately 1000 feet AGL and began drifting south-southwest towards the intersection of I-35 and I-40. The pilot of the lead balloon submitted a sketch (enclosed) indicating that the accident balloon leveled out at approximately 1100 feet AGL, then descended to and leveled out at approximately 800 feet AGL, and finally, entered a descent down to 125 feet AGL. As he viewed the accident balloon from above, he noted that the parachute valve was "in place and fully seated against the top load ropes" as the balloon approached the power line. A witness who was driving eastbound on I-40 observed the balloon "descending rapidly at about a 45 degree angle" and "saw a visible plume or column of hot air coming from the top of the balloon." This witness then lost sight of the balloon as he turned south
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance during low altitude straight and level flight.
More accidents in OK
- Cessna 421C, Sep 4, 1983
- Cessna 421C, Dec 21, 1995
- Extra EA 400, Aug 4, 2018
- Piper PA-32R-300, Sep 5, 2009
- Cessna 500, Mar 4, 2008
Browse: Oklahoma · Balloon Works aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
