BATON ROUGE, LA, USA
N27113
Balloon Works FIREFLY 6B
THE PLT WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE U.S. NATIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON CHAMPIONSHIP. VIDEO TAPES SHOWED THAT AT AN UNDETERMINED ALT AFTER TAKEOFF, THE BALLOON'S RATE OF ASCENT INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY. SUBSEQUENTLY, AT ABOUT 3000 FT AGL, FABRIC WAS OBSERVED TO BEGIN FLAPPING & THE BALLOON ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT WITH THE BURNER OPERATING. IT THEN IMPACTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. AN EXAM OF THE BALLOON REVEALED EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING OF THE FABRIC. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT OVERHEATING HAD OCCURRED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THE REQUIRED TEMP GAGE, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN MOUNTED IN THE TOP OF THE GONDOLA, WAS NOT FOUND.
THE PILOT EXCEEDED THE TEMPERATURE LIMITATIONS OF THE BALLOON DURING THE CLIMB, WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE FRABRIC. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PREVIOUS HEAT DAMAGE TO THE FRABRIC, AND THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE BY THE PILOT/OWNER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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