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Balloon Carrying 16 crashes in Texas
A hot air balloon with 16 people aboard crashed Saturday morning in central Texas after catching fire in flight. (www.cnn.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Just my humble thoughts...I am wondering if the nocturnal Low Level Jet, common this time of year over the southern plains and sometimes flowing as low as 500 feet AGL, might have had some bearing on this. Often times the LLJ doesn't mix out until after mid morning. NTSB reported yesterday there was a 500 foot broken stratus ceiling at the launch site. Passenger video taken 11 minutes prior to the accident showed patchy stratus and fog obscuring the terrain below. Media had interviewed another balloon operator who said he would never launch with that low of ceiling, especially with the abundance of power lines in the area. On the other hand, I'm going to assume balloon operators are going to be extremely cognizant of winds aloft in their area. This balloon ride had been canceled multiple times for weather conditions but I don't know if it was because of ceilings, winds, or both.
http://flightaware.com/photos/view/4633271-c2a03b88c96d1dfea09d3ac26a50a8a4fe96a623/user/2018paulrobbinx/sort/votes/page/1 This is a pic I took of the accident craft this may. My prayers are for all those efftect. This craft greeted me with a smile as I drove to school most mornings.
Why were there 16 people on a hot air balloon?!
After some research I realize that these things can carry up to 24 passengers. Always thought these baskets held 4-6 people max.
Large balloons like this are popular in East Africa as Balloon Safaris. Great for photogs as they are pretty much silent once aloft and in the early morning their slow speed and low altitude gives the Tourons superb opportunities like watching teh hippos return to the river or pond after grazing all night. No power lines there.
They're also very popular in Cappadocia in Turkey. There are so many in the area that it is a great show in itself to just watch them. The one Iwas on had space for 24 passengers and the pilot.
http://abc13.com/news/hot-air-balloon-crash-kills-at-least-16-people-near-austin/1450063/