N317W — Balloon Works FIREFLY 8
Active registrationChecked against FAA & NTSB records · as of Jul 18, 2026
N317W appears in 1 NTSB accident record (most recent 2016, serious injuries). Registration and accident data compiled from public FAA and NTSB records as of Jul 18, 2026.
Aircraft record
- Serial number
- F8-403
- Manufacturer
- Balloon Works
- Model
- FIREFLY 8
- Category
- Balloon
- Engine
- None None
- Registration
- Active
- Registered to
- Registration Pending — Prairie Grove, AR
Accident & incident history
The balloon pilot’s inadequate weather planning and improper decision to depart in reported increasing variable winds with nearby thunderstorms, which resulted in a subsequent hard landing and a serious passenger injury.
Registration timeline
Ownership and registration events for this airframe (the Balloon Works FIREFLY 8).
- —registered — Registration Pending
Earlier aircraft on this N-number
The tail number N317W was previously assigned to a different aircraft. A registration number can be reused across unrelated airframes over decades — these are not the Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 above.
- until May 15, 1939Bowlus S-1000 (s/n S-26)
Frequently asked
- Has N317W been in an accident?
- Yes. N317W appears in 1 NTSB accident record, the most recent in 2016.
- What kind of aircraft is N317W?
- N317W is a Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 (balloon), serial number F8-403.
- Who is N317W registered to?
- N317W is registered to Registration Pending of Prairie Grove, AR. Registration status: active.
The full N317W report
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- Full NTSB investigation narratives for all 1 record — the complete text, not just the cause line
- Pre-buy question list generated from this aircraft’s actual records
- Complete registration & deregistration timeline, print-ready
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