Abq Hot Air Baloon Fatality Crash
10-10-2008 | 03:54 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Super Moderator
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,795
Likes: 5
From: Pflugerville, TX
Vehicle: 2000 Elantra
Did anybody @ the BBQ see this? Was it even on the same day? Talk about a downer.
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/pop...13&src=news
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/pop...13&src=news
10-10-2008 | 09:01 PM
#2
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 34,642
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From: Los Lunas, New Mexico, USA.
Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, 2004 Kia Sorento, 2010 Kia Soul
Happened today at the Balloon Fiesta. I was at a Midterm, but my wife and son were out getting ready to put up our balloon.
The balloon that was involved was the first experimental Tetrahedral balloon. It took off with the dawn patrol, like it does every day of the fiesta every year, and was far out in Rio Rancho when the winds picked up and blew it into some low power lines.
The big problem hit when the power lines severed a fuel line and sparks lit the whole thing on fire. The pilot and co-pilot both fell through the burning basket, one completely on fire, the other with a arm on fire, and unluckily missed the bridge they were close to and fell into the arroyo (ditch) instead, increasing the fall height from about 25 feet to about 65 feet.
The co-pilot died on the spot, the other is in the hospital with broken ribs, both lungs punctured, fractured pelvis, and more.
It's sad, but when you realize how many folks fly every day, in each balloon, it's a VERY safe sport, but accidents happen like anywhere else. It's a sad day, good pilot, good crew, good balloon.
http://kob.com/article/stories/S613785.shtml?cat=500
Video of the accident, pictures, and more.
The balloon that was involved was the first experimental Tetrahedral balloon. It took off with the dawn patrol, like it does every day of the fiesta every year, and was far out in Rio Rancho when the winds picked up and blew it into some low power lines.
The big problem hit when the power lines severed a fuel line and sparks lit the whole thing on fire. The pilot and co-pilot both fell through the burning basket, one completely on fire, the other with a arm on fire, and unluckily missed the bridge they were close to and fell into the arroyo (ditch) instead, increasing the fall height from about 25 feet to about 65 feet.
The co-pilot died on the spot, the other is in the hospital with broken ribs, both lungs punctured, fractured pelvis, and more.
It's sad, but when you realize how many folks fly every day, in each balloon, it's a VERY safe sport, but accidents happen like anywhere else. It's a sad day, good pilot, good crew, good balloon.
http://kob.com/article/stories/S613785.shtml?cat=500
Video of the accident, pictures, and more.
10-11-2008 | 08:47 AM
#7
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 547
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From: New London, Tx AKA The Middle of Nowhere
I heard about this just this morning. I don't think anyone from here was on or crewing that balloon because this happened after everyone left.
Still, it's very tragic. I'll be praying for their families.
Still, it's very tragic. I'll be praying for their families.
10-11-2008 | 09:18 AM
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 34,642
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From: Los Lunas, New Mexico, USA.
Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, 2004 Kia Sorento, 2010 Kia Soul
Again, this happened yesterday folks, so no one from here was involved.
When it comes to safety equipment, there's very little that could help something like this. I do have an idea, which I'm going to propose to a few of the balloon companies and the fiesta people. A LOT of these pilots don't use their standup arms, they just use steel cables to hold the burner assembly to the gondola, and the fuel lines go up the steel lines in a leather case.
I suggest they do the following.
1. Make the standup arms MANDATORY on all flights, every day.
2. Design a new titanium standup arm, that allows the fuel line to pass inside of it to the burner assembly. This would greatly lower the possiblities of fuel lines being cut when power lines are hit.
3. Make these mandatory.
Every year 2 to 4 minor accidents happen, and they are often involved with hitting power lines. Accidents like this are rare, but they do happen. The only other idea I have is for them to design a high strength steel cable that goes from the burner rings to the bottom of the basket. so when lines are hit they don't stick to or get caught in the gondola, instead the basket would slide up and over the lines. This might require an addition to the burner rings to make them wider in diameter so that the new lines are like this / instead of this |.
When it comes to safety equipment, there's very little that could help something like this. I do have an idea, which I'm going to propose to a few of the balloon companies and the fiesta people. A LOT of these pilots don't use their standup arms, they just use steel cables to hold the burner assembly to the gondola, and the fuel lines go up the steel lines in a leather case.
I suggest they do the following.
1. Make the standup arms MANDATORY on all flights, every day.
2. Design a new titanium standup arm, that allows the fuel line to pass inside of it to the burner assembly. This would greatly lower the possiblities of fuel lines being cut when power lines are hit.
3. Make these mandatory.
Every year 2 to 4 minor accidents happen, and they are often involved with hitting power lines. Accidents like this are rare, but they do happen. The only other idea I have is for them to design a high strength steel cable that goes from the burner rings to the bottom of the basket. so when lines are hit they don't stick to or get caught in the gondola, instead the basket would slide up and over the lines. This might require an addition to the burner rings to make them wider in diameter so that the new lines are like this / instead of this |.
