Sixteen people enjoying a hot-air balloon ride in Central Texas early Saturday morning lost their lives in a fiery death after the balloon came into contact with high-tension power lines, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
A post on Friday pointed to the dangers of riding a bicycle on a street with trolley tracks, which can prove fatal. Another dangerous transportation and infrastructure combination resulted in the greatest loss of life in the United States for those riding in another mode of transportation, hot-air balloons, on July 30.
A New York Times article on July 30 gives the details of the crash:
The balloon crashed in a pasture near Lockhart, a town about 30 miles south of Austin, said Lynn Lunsford, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Initial reports from officials said the balloon had plummeted after catching fire in the air, but at least one witness said it might have struck high-tension power lines before hitting the ground and bursting into flames.
Dallas-based WFAA TV has a video of the entire Sunday afternoon news press briefing given by National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) board member Robert Sumwalt who clarifies that the balloon had indeed struck transmission lines.
"The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent Federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident the United States and significant accidents in other modes of transportation," according to its webpage.
“We’re here to gather factual information,” Sumwalt said. “We’re not here to solve the accident, we’re not here to determine a probable cause...we’re not going to speculate on the cause of the accident.”
"There's physical evidence to show the balloon hit the wires and not the tower," Sumwalt said.
Sumwalt said it wasn’t clear if it caught fire before or after impact with the power line.
This was not a helium balloon. Rather, it uses a burner(s) to heat the air, which causes the balloon to rise.
The balloon, "operated by Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides...had four propane tanks and three burners," states Sumwalt in the video.
NTSB gathered "14 electronic devices recovered from the crash site, including cellphones, tablets and cameras" for analysis.
Greater oversight by Federal Aviation Administration needed
The NTSB urged the FAA two years ago to tighten its regulations on hot air balloon operators or risk a “high number of fatalities in a single air tour balloon accident.”
The FAA’s response to the recommendations was “unacceptable,” Sumwalt said Sunday.
"Before Saturday, the worst balloon accident in the United States occurred in August 1993 in Woody Creek, Colo., near Aspen, when a wind gust blew a balloon into a power line complex," according to The Times. "The basket was severed and fell more than 100 feet, killing all six people aboard."
Nineteen people died in a hot-air balloon crash which didn't involve transmission lines in Luxor, Egypt in February 2013.
In that crash, the balloon was sailing over archaeological sites at dawn when a fire caused an explosion in a gas canister and the balloon plummeted more than 1,000 feet to the ground. Two people survived — the pilot and a passenger, who jumped from the basket from about 30 feet.
FULL STORY: NTSB provides details on balloon crash site
LaHood Replacement Likely to be NTSB Chief Hersman
Deborah Hersman, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency that investigates crashes in all modes of transportation, particularly aviation, is leading the list of replacements for Transpo Secretary LaHood.
How Speed Governors Could Save Lives
Most personal vehicles can travel at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, far above any U.S. speed limit. Why?
‘Electric Flying Car’ Approved for Test Flights
A $300,00 electric flying car has been cleared for test flights in the United States.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
Colorado Bill Would Tie Transportation Funding to TOD
The proposed law would require cities to meet certain housing targets near transit or risk losing access to a key state highway fund.
Dallas Surburb Bans New Airbnbs
Plano’s city council banned all new permits for short-term rentals as concerns about their impacts on housing costs grow.
Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks
New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
