Community Chat

[Just Bling]

WoW...this brought back so many memories.

I was ALMOST a casualty years ago when I was a guest of a supplier and they had hot air balloon rides for us at the Statesville Airport in NC.

The weather was overcast, got in the basket (they are not big at all), total of 5 of us including the pilot. We went about a mile or so but then he was decending and almost and I mean almost I saw my life in front of me, there were plenty of electrical lines next to this field.  We ended up in a huge tree, these huge long bugs were thrown in the basket from the trees and maybe 300 feet from the electrical lines.  After that, all I remember was landing in this field, the grass was over my knees and we had to run to meet the chase team that picks you up.  We had dinner at the Statesville Country Club and someone local said, boy, you were lucky, that field has a lot of snakes in it.

So, never and I mean never again, they are pretty to look at and it was a one and done.  

I can see why people die from balloon rides, it happens with even the most experienced pilots.

[Kachina624]

@patbz   Maybe they had low expectations for the monsoon. 

[BlueFinch]

I remember watching an air B festival once, floating gracefully over my mother's property. They were gorgeous. All fun and games, until one descended and crashed in a neighbor's field. It was a very close call, but there were just minor injuries.

After witnessing that event, I was already leery about ever going for a ride, myself. Then after the very tragic one we all know of, you couldn't pay me to get on one. And now this. Horrendous!  

[Desertdi]

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@patbz wrote:

Believe it or not, my city of 11000 is trying to have a gallon festival this weekend.  They tried in 2019 but it rained.  Looks like it may rain this afternoon and/ or tomorrow.  Why would they plan such an event during monsoon season? 

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@patbz     Those "adventurers" even take off in the winter.....can you imagine how COLD it is up there?

[On It]

@gertrudecloset The CBS Albuquerque station reported that the crash today was the deadliest in New Mexico ballooning history. Witnesses said the balloon crashed into power lines before the gondola (I called it the basket in my earlier post) caught fire and crashed to the roadway. The envelope rose on its own until it deflated and landed in a yard some distance away. The gondola is still lying in the street waiting for FAA and NTSB investigations.

One of the passengers was a retired APD and Albuquerque Public Schools Officer and his wife. The other 3 have yet to be identified.

[songbird]

We had some balloon festival (usually during Preakness Stake Week)  I remember several years ago, one landed in a neighbor's property.  They had that bottle of Wine that they give the owner of the property they landed in.  We didn't have it this Preakness.  And of course, not in 2020.

[lovesrecess]

There were five people who died according to the local news here. I used to live in Albuquerque and would be interested to know which intersection it crashed into. Prayers for those impacted by this tragic accident. We always looked forward to the Abq.Balloon Fiesta every fall...so much fun! But I never had the courage to go up, up, and away in one of the balloons....only one that was tethered. 

[On It]

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@lovesrecess wrote:

There were five people who died according to the local news here. I used to live in Albuquerque and would be interested to know which intersection it crashed into. Prayers for those impacted by this tragic accident. We always looked forward to the Abq.Balloon Fiesta every fall...so much fun! But I never had the courage to go up, up, and away in one of the balloons....only one that was tethered. 

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It was near Central and Unser, west of the CVS. A fifth person died after being taken to the hospital. Four were dead at the scene.