Number 7 Luxor Hot Air Balloon Crash
In February of 2013, a hot air balloon caught fire in Luxor, Egypt, after completing a flight over
the Valley of the Kings. The balloon, operated by Sky Cruises, was only about 10 feet from landing
when a leaking fuel line sparked a violent blaze. Out of the 21 souls in the basket, only the pilot,
with his clothes engulfed in flames, and a British tourist managed to jump out in time. Several other
passengers leapt to their deaths as the aircraft started rising rapidly. Then, at about 1,000 feet,
a huge explosion ripped the balloon to shreds leaving the flaming basket to fall towards
the ground. Michael Rennie, the tourist who survived, watched in horror as his wife, Yvonne,
plummeted to her death. Badly burnt, he ran for hundreds of yards screaming after her but
there was nothing that anyone could do. With 19 casualties, the 2013 Luxor accident is considered
the deadliest ballooning disaster to have ever occurred. It’s second only to the Hindenburg
crash, in the history of aerostat disasters. What Is It?
The hot air balloon is humanity’s oldest form of flight, going back to the late 18th century. Paper
manufacturers and aviation pioneers Joseph-Michel Montgolfier and his brother Jacques-Étienne,
are credited for creating the first hot air balloon.
Joseph was reportedly watching a fire and pondered how one could assault the impregnable Gibraltar
Fortress from the air. The siege would’ve used the same force that lifted embers from the fire.
The brothers’ invention had its first untethered manned flight in 1783. While the design of the hot
air balloon has improved throughout history, the operating principle remains the same.
It consists of a giant bag, called the envelope, which contains heated air from an open flame,
usually powered by liquid propane. Because the air in the bag is less dense than the air outside it,
the aircraft achieves buoyancy. Wind provides the direction while controlling the air temperature
inside the envelope enables the pilot to establish altitude. Below the bag is a gondola or a wicker
basket that carries the passengers. While generally considered the safest of aviation
sports, hot air ballooning has seen a number of tragic accidents throughout the years.
Number 6 2016 Lockhart Hot Air Balloon Crash The Lockhart hot air balloon crash, which occurred
on July the 30th of 2016, is the deadliest ballooning disaster in the history of the US. The
aircraft was carrying a pilot and 15 passengers when it struck powerlines and crashed into a field
near Lockhart, Texas. A witness described hearing two gun-like pops as the balloon went down. There
were no survivors. Emergency services on route to the crash had been informed of a possible vehicle
collision but arrived to find the flaming basket of a hot air balloon. The subsequent investigation
attributed the powerline collision to human error as the pilot should’ve never flown that day. There
were conditions of low clouds and fog that made it difficult to avoid obstacles. The pilot was taking
prescription drugs while suffering from depression and ADHD. Two years later, new legislation passed
and it entailed mandatory medical examinations for commercial balloon pilots.
Where Is It Located? Hot air ballooning is practiced
all over the world in various exhibitions or competitions. The largest hot air ballooning
events are the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, in the US, the Grand Est Mondial Air,
in France, and the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, in England. There are several forms of
competitive ballooning but most involve precision flying near pre-established targets and dropping
weighted markers. In one variation there’s a “Hare and Hound” race in which one balloon
chases after another. The altitude record for a hot air balloon flight is just shy of 70,000 feet
and it was established in 2005, by Vijaypat Singhania. To put his daring feat into
perspective, the record is more than twice the height of Mount Everest. The overall appeal of
ballooning is centered on stunning sights, the feeling of lack of movement and the extreme quiet
experienced at altitude. Except for the climbs and descends into air currents of different speed
or direction, the passengers feel no wind. Number 5 Lucerne Hot Air Balloon Accident
In 2004, several passengers were injured and a tourist was killed in a hot air balloon
accident in Lucerne, Switzerland. The aircraft was operated by the Lucerne Museum of Transport.
After taking off, the balloon was caught in strong winds that sent it into buildings nearby. As the
balloon struck the walls, one passenger, an Indian tourist, fell through an opening in
the floor of the gondola. The impact killed her instantly. Other passengers on board sustained
injuries but none were life-threatening. After approximately 20 minutes, the balloon landed.
It was later determined that the museum had been responsible for the accident
as it shouldn’t have allowed the flight under such strong winds.
Number 4 1989 Alice Springs Crash 13 lives were lost in August of 1989
as two hot air balloons collided in mid-air near Alice Springs, Australia. In the early hours of
the morning, one balloon ascended and its basket engulfed the envelope of a lower balloon. This
caused a tear, about the size of a bed sheet, at the top of the envelope. The aircraft deflated and
went plummeting towards the ground. The 2000-foot descent, nearly twice as tall as the Eiffel Tower,
lasted less than a minute and the high-speed impact killed everyone on board. It was reported
that some of the bodies were launched clear of the basket. Both balloons were operated by the same
company and an investigation found that the pilot of the upper balloon had failed to give way to the
lower balloon, as stipulated in the company’s manual. Both aircrafts had been fitted with
ultra-high frequency radios but neither pilot had contacted the other to correlate their actions and
potentially avoid collision. How Will It Kill You?
There are a number of risks associated with hot air ballooning which,
given the altitude, have potentially deadly implications. These range from falling out
of the balloon and mid-air collisions to fires breaking out from faulty equipment, excessive
speed during landing or colliding with high voltage powerlines. The latter is a major issue,
particularly since pilots will often try to land their balloons on or near roads which,
in rural areas, often have powerlines running alongside them. The combined weight of an
average basket and its passengers can easily exceed that of a large automobile. This means
that being pinned or struck by a landing balloon is also a danger. Getting caught in strong winds
and losing control of the balloon in-flight or during landing is another. In one of the
worst-case scenarios of hot air ballooning, the aircraft catches fire uncontrollably
leaving the pilots and others on board with a horrific predicament. They can jump and die
crashing to the earth or otherwise burn alive. Cornel please cut this hickup out Number 3
2012 Ljubljana Marshes Crash In 2012, several lives were lost
as the world’s largest serially manufactured hot air balloon crashed in Slovenia’s Ljubljana
Marshes. The aircraft, which was the largest in the country, was roughly 17 feet long and had
four compartments. On August the 23rd, the hot air balloon was operated by two crewmen
and carried 32 passengers, most of whom were tourists. A sudden change in weather forced
the pilot to make an immediate landing. However, as the balloon was approaching land, a wind shear
sent it into nearby trees. The aircraft caught fire. Four passengers were killed instantly
and charred beyond recognition while two would later succumb to their injuries. Every passenger
on board was injured and ten of them had to be resuscitated. An investigation would later cite
“insufficient meteorological planning” as one of the causes for the accident.
Based on the analysis of a foreign expert, the pilot was exonerated of the crash two years later.
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Number 2 Roziere Crash
Jean-François Pilâtre de Roziere and François Laurent d'Arlandes
were the ones who took the Montgolfier brothers’ creation for its first manned flight in 1783. De
Roziere would continue to make aviation history. He designed his own aircraft, which was a hybrid
of a hydrogen and hot air balloon. In June of 1785, he attempted to cross the English Channel,
from France to England, in his balloon. De Roziere and his flight companion were making some progress
when a strong gust of wind knocked them back a few miles from their starting point.
Their balloon then caught fire, under unknown circumstances, and suddenly deflated. Both men
died after crashing from an estimated 1,500 feet, which is higher than the Empire State Building.
De Roziere and his companion are believed to be the first air crash fatalities
in history. How to Survive?
Since hot air balloons are essentially at the mercy of the wind,
weather is one of the greatest hazards. However, thanks to advanced technology providing monitoring
and updates on air current patterns, it’s also the most manageable.
Modern balloons have come a long way since the Montgolfier prototypes.
The introduction of propane tanks and ripstop nylon are major milestones. That being said,
even the best equipment can put a balloon’s pilot and passengers in danger if not properly
checked and maintained. Powerlines are the bane of ballooning so landing near them should only be
done as a last resort. From the passenger’s perspective, proper caution should be taken
when leaning over the basket and the pilot’s instructions should be followed at all times.
Number 1 Carterton Crash of 2012 In January of 2012, a hot air balloon was
preparing to land in Carterton, New Zealand. The pilot made an error in judgement as the
aircraft was dangerously approaching high-voltage powerlines. He tried to climb higher rather than
use the rapid descent system and quickly bring the balloon to the ground below. An investigation
later revealed that the pilot had THC in his system, meaning he may have been under the
influence of cannabis, which could’ve impaired his assessment of the situation. The hot air
balloon crashed into the 33,000-volt powerlines. A fire erupted and then the conductor wire on the
powerline snapped, sending the balloon shooting upwards. The fire rapidly engulfed the entire
aircraft and the envelope disintegrated. The balloon crashed from approximately
500 feet, killing all 11 people on board. Thanks for watching! Would you rather be in
a hot air balloon that caught fire 50 feet from the ground or try to escape a ship
that had sunk to the same distance? Let us know in the comments section below!