Firefly Balloons Inc FIREFLY 8 accident near Fitzgerald, GA
On March 16, 2012, a Firefly Balloons Inc FIREFLY 8 (balloon) was involved in an accident near Fitzgerald, GA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 16, 2012
- Place
- Fitzgerald, GA
- Aircraft
- Firefly Balloons Inc FIREFLY 8 · Balloon
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 31.719°N, 83.076°W
- NTSB ID
- 20120319X33240
Official records · ERA12LA231
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 16, 2012, about 1900 eastern daylight time, a FireFly 8 hot air balloon, N14643, was lost in flight after climbing into a storm near Fitzgerald, Georgia. On March 20, 2012, the balloon's envelope and basket were located in wooded terrain near Fitzgerald, Georgia. The pilot, who remained in the basket, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the day of the accident, as the pilot conducted sport parachute flights under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to one of the ground crewman for the balloon, two flights had been conducted prior to the accident flight; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Seven parachutists were loaded for the second afternoon flight, the balloon lifted off, and the ground crewmen boarded the chase vehicle and drove after the balloon. Minutes after beginning the drive, the crewmen received a "severe storm warning" from the local emergency management director by telephone. The crewmen observed the storm on radar via their cellular phone, and contacted the pilot by radio to advise him that the storm was "getting big very quick." The pilot advised the parachutists to exit the balloon and the ground crew watched them exit. The parachutists reached the ground uninjured. The pilot requested another storm update, and informed the ground crew that he would "attempt to get over" the storm. Shortly after, he contacted the ground crew and expressed doubts that the balloon would be able to climb over the storm, and the ground crew then watched the balloon di
Probable cause
The pilot's intentional flight into adverse weather. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing and his failure to follow the balloon manufacturer's published emergency procedure for weather deterioration during flight.
More accidents in GA
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Apr 5, 1991
- Cessna 208, Sep 29, 1985
- Beech 400, Dec 11, 1991
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Aug 21, 1995
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Apr 20, 1982
Browse: Georgia
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
