N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Temecula, California 92592
Saturday, November 9, 2013 8:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On November 9, 2013, about 0800 Pacific standard time, a Firefly Balloons, Inc., Firefly 10, N1623L, experienced a fire after landing near Temecula, California. D&D Hot Air Ballooning was operating the balloon under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The airline transport pilot (commercial lighter-than-air balloon pilot) and five passengers sustained serious injuries; five passengers were not injured. The balloon was not damaged during the accident sequence. The local sightseeing flight departed Temecula about 0700. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. A passenger reported that the balloon had landed after a 1-hour flight, and some passengers disembarked. Some passengers stayed on board as the operator moved the balloon toward the retrieval trailer. The pilot shut off one of the two burners. The passenger reported smelling propane throughout the flight, and especially strong when a flash and fireball erupted.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/9/2013
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Temecula
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92592
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 333400N
Event Location Longitude 1170700W
Event Location Airport N/A
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 758 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KRIV
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KRIV 091558Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 11/M01 A3
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious 5
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2013 2:41PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1623L
NTSB Number WPR14LA049
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name FIREFLY BALLOONS, INC
Aircraft Model FIREFLY 10
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number F10-2007
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHEMELLO DOMINIC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City TEMECULA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92592-8886
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name D&D Hot Air Balloons
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City TEMECULA
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 92592-8886
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Temecula
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Temecula
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2013 2:41PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --