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Hot Air Balloon Carrying 16 Crashes; Likely No Survivors
NBC DFW ^ | 7/30/16 | unknown

Posted on 07/30/2016 9:13:24 AM PDT by gop4lyf

Federal officials said a hot air balloon carrying at least 16 people caught on fire and crashed in Central Texas on Saturday. Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office said there doesn't appear to be any survivors.

"The balloon was occupied and it does not appear at this time that there were any survivors of the crash," Caldwell County Sheriff Daniel Law said in a statement. "Investigators are determining the number and the identities of victims at this time." Lynn Lunsford with the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the accident happened about 8:40 a.m. Saturday near Lockhart, Texas, when the hot air balloon crashed into a pasture.

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcdfw.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: balloon; crash; deathtoll; texas
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To: goodnesswins

It caught on fire.


61 posted on 07/30/2016 10:53:55 AM PDT by TruthWillWin (The problem with socialists is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.)
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Comment #62 Removed by Moderator

To: gop4lyf

07:42 the Balloon flew into a double cirket 345kV line


63 posted on 07/30/2016 11:17:57 AM PDT by hadaclueonce (This time it is serious.)
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To: Navy Patriot

That’s not video of the accident in Texas.


64 posted on 07/30/2016 11:21:44 AM PDT by Godebert (CRUZ: Born in a foreign land to a foreign father.)
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To: Godebert

Apparently not, I thought the segment just after 0.40 was, but it is not.


65 posted on 07/30/2016 11:45:32 AM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
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To: melissa_in_ga

Black’s BBQ.

And RIP and prayers to their families.


66 posted on 07/30/2016 11:49:06 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Hits for Hillary. Get paid to sign onto YouTube and watch Hillary's speech over and over.)
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To: SnuffaBolshevik
Looks like the spark made the gas bottles let go all at once.

A power line strike at basket level is about the worst thing that can happen to a balloon. The momentum of the balloon pushes the cables against the side of the basket, and then pushes the cables together. That results in a huge arc right at the outside of the basket, inches from the propane tanks. Often, as probably occurred in this disaster, the arc cuts through the tanks, resulting in an immediate, uncontrollable fire.

That is why balloon pilots are trained to avoid power lines, and if one is approaching, perform an emergency deflation to drop under it.

Prayers for those aboard the flight, and their families and friends.

67 posted on 07/30/2016 11:55:10 AM PDT by freeandfreezing
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To: gop4lyf

Those poor people. Very sad.


68 posted on 07/30/2016 11:59:41 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: gop4lyf

Horrifying.


69 posted on 07/30/2016 12:00:44 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: freeandfreezing

After reading your post I went to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Practical Test Standards for Commercial Pilots for Lighter-Than-Air aircraft. I couldn’t find anything about emergency deflation. Could you please explain how one accomplishes an emergency deflation?


70 posted on 07/30/2016 12:11:17 PM PDT by CFIIIMEIATP737
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To: gop4lyf

Looks like it caught fire way before it contacted the power lines


71 posted on 07/30/2016 12:15:55 PM PDT by virgil (The evil that men do lives after them)
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To: CFIIIMEIATP737
Emergency deflation in flight is done by pulling to top vent control line. That opens the top of the balloon, causing it to deflate. Obviously doing that at a significant altitude is a bad idea, but it is often done at low altitude to land in difficult circumstances, or to avoid a much more dangerous collision. For some balloons the same vent can be used for altitude management when opened slightly for brief intervals.

For an FAA safety guide on the topic see:

Powerlines and Thunderstorms Balloon Safety Tips

72 posted on 07/30/2016 12:23:18 PM PDT by freeandfreezing
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To: freeandfreezing

Thank you! and one last question. We carry portable fire extinguishers in the cockpit and the passenger compartment. Do balloons carry fire extinguishers? You would think for commercial use it would be a requirement.


73 posted on 07/30/2016 12:55:04 PM PDT by CFIIIMEIATP737
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To: Navy Patriot

Surprised to see that Drudge got duped by the same video.


74 posted on 07/30/2016 1:32:46 PM PDT by Godebert (CRUZ: Born in a foreign land to a foreign father.)
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To: gop4lyf

What a tragedy.

In Geneva Switzerland, every year there was a balloon festival and the multicolored beautiful hot air balloons floated past our high rise. So beautiful. You just think of it as a fun activity, like these people must have. Prayers and condolences for all.


75 posted on 07/30/2016 2:00:52 PM PDT by Yaelle (Sorry, Mr. Franklin. We've been extremely careless with our Republic.)
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To: gop4lyf

I had a summer job at a resort while in college, they were having a big outdoor event and had hired a hot air balloon operator to come in and offer rides. I watched it burn to nothing sitting on the ground in a matter of minutes, the wind got up while he was inflating it, and the flame hit the fabric of the balloon.

That cured me of ever wanting to go up in one.


76 posted on 07/30/2016 2:09:34 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: CFIIIMEIATP737
Do balloons carry fire extinguishers?

Yes, although they are only marginally useful. Any sizable propane leak which ignites creates a very large and hot fireball that is not easy to extinguish, except by cutting off the fuel supply.

77 posted on 07/30/2016 5:08:38 PM PDT by freeandfreezing
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To: gop4lyf
This is awful. Sixteen is a lot of fatalities in any ballooning context.

For some years I spent part of my time in a hot air balloon launch/recovery crew, rode in them a bunch and generally had a good time. Power lines were a big bogeymen and "our" balloon's owner/pilot was safety conscious enough to avoid ever coming close to tangling with one. In Iowa, there used to be - probably still are - a lot of farms that had an electrical line running out to a pole in the middle of what appears to be nowhere, and they can be very hard to see if you aren't watching for them. They were often run out to where an electric pump or some such thing was. Being committed to a landing in a seemingly perfect pasture and suddenly seeing a power line materialize would get you religion real fast!

It never ceased to amaze me how some people would get their aerostat licenses, buy a balloon, assemble a crew, generally spend a lot of time and money (ballooning isn't cheap) and then proceed to burn the mouth of the envelope, take out fences with the basket, misjudge a "splash and dash," come down directly on objects best avoided and generally fly like a bonehead.

Mr. niteowl77

78 posted on 07/30/2016 5:39:45 PM PDT by niteowl77
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To: niteowl77

two words: Powered flight.


79 posted on 07/30/2016 5:41:21 PM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: jennychase
Wrong balloon.

That balloon was in British Columbia in 2007.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/11-survive-hot-air-balloon-fire-1247688.php

A later view:


80 posted on 07/30/2016 5:51:00 PM PDT by cynwoody
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