Hot Air Balloon Crashes Carrying 16 in Texas, Likely No Survivors: Sheriff
by Corky Siemaszko
Lockhart, Texas
A hot air balloon with 16 people aboard caught fire and crashed Saturday in Central Texas, and the local sheriff warned there doesn't appear to be any survivors.
The balloon crashed into a pasture around 8:40 a.m. local time near the town of Lockhart, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
"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."
Lockhart is about 30 miles south of Austin and teams from both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were racing to the scene to investigate.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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The FAA controls ballooning and anyone who flys passengers for hire must have in his/her possession an FAA commercial Balloon Pilots License.
Hot air balloons being used to carry passengers for hire must have an Annual Inspection at a Certified FAA Balloon Repair Station or every 100 hours of flight operation, which ever comes first. The inspection must be signed off in the Hot Air Balloon Log Book
Each balloon being used to fly passengers must have the following paperwork on board current FAA Airworthiness certificate, current balloon registration and current flight manual.
The balloon pilot must also undergo a bi-annual flight review every two years and log at least 3 takeoffs and landings to full stop every 90 days to stay current to fly passengers for hire.
Balloon Pilot's
License
| The following information is extracted and simplified from the Federal Aviation Regulation Part 61 -- Certification: Pilots and Flight Instructors A student pilot's certification must be obtained before beginning training. Successful completion of training leads to a private pilot's certificate, lighter-than-air category with a free balloon class rating. After further training and experience a commercial rating may be obtained, qualifying an individual to fly for hire or to instruct. The following are the general requirements for student, private and commercial certificates. | |
Subpart C --
Student Pilots
| |
| 1. | A student must be at least 14 years of age. |
| 2. | He must be able to read, speak and understand the English language (some exceptions allowed). |
| 3. | No medical certificate is required, but the applicant must certify that he has no known medical defect that makes him unable to pilot a free balloon. |
| 4. | Student pilot certificates may be issued by FAA inspectors or designated pilot examiners. |
| 5. | Student pilots may solo after demonstrating to their instructor that they are familiar with Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations and are proficient in the following aspects of balloon operation: pre-flight preparation, operation of controls, lift-off and climb, descent and landing, and emergency situations. |
| 6. | A student pilot may fly a balloon only under the supervision of a qualified instructor. He may not carry passengers or fly a balloon for hire. |
Subpart D --
Private Pilots
| |
| 1. | To be eligible for a free balloon private pilot's certificate a person must be at least 16 years of age. |
| 2. | Read, speak and understand the English language. |
| 3. | No medical certificate required. Same as paragraph 3 above. |
| 4. | The applicant must pass a written test on such items as: (a) Federal Aviation Regulations covering pilot privileges, limitations and flight procedures, (b) use of navigation charts, (c) recognition of weather conditions and use for weather reports, (d) operating procedures with gas and hot air balloons. |
| 5. | The applicatn must have received instruction on the following pilot operations: (a) ground handling and inflation, (b) preflight checks, (c) takeoff and ascents, (d) descents and landings, (e) emergency conditions. |
| 6. | Flight experience must include at least 10 hours in free balloons, which must include 6 flights under supervision of an instructor. These flights must include at least the following: tow flights of at least 30 minutes duration, one ascent to 3000 feet above takeoff point, and one solo flight (these requirements are for air balloons; requirements for gas balloons are slightly different). |
Subpart E --
Commercial Pilots
| |
| 1. | The age requirement for a commercial pilot certificate is 18 years. |
| 2. | Read, speak and understand the English language. |
| 3. | No medical certificate required. Same as paragraph 3 above. |
| 4. | The applicant must pass a more advanced written test on the subject matter listed in paragraph 4 above, additional operating procedures relating to commercial operations, and those duties required of a flight instructor. |
| 5. | Advanced training must be received from an authorized instructor including those items listed in paragraph 5 above plus emergency recovery from a terminal velocity descent. |
| 6. | The applicant for a commercial certificate must have at least 35 hours of flight time as a pilot, of which 20 hours must be in balloons, 6 under the supervision of an instructor, 2 solo flights, 2 flights of at least one duration, and one flight to 5000 feet above the take-off point. |
| 7. | The holder of a commercial pilot's certificate may operate a balloon for hire and may give flight instruction. |
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Date:
| 30-JUL-2016 | |
| Time: | 07:40LT |
| Type: |  Balloon |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | |
| C/n / msn: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 16 / Occupants: 16 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Lockhart, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | |
The basket of a hot air balloon with 16 people on board caught fire and the ball0on crashed in a pasture near the central Texas city of Lockhart about 30 miles S of Austin.
Sources: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-texas-balloon-crash-idUSKCN10A0IX
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/hot-air-balloon-carrying-16-people-crashes-texas-41015210
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/07/30/hot-air-balloon-carrying-at-least-16-people-crashes-in-texas.html
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Details emerge on pilot, balloon company in fatal Texas crash
Skip Nichols is the Chief Pilot and owner of Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides.
WFAA Staff , WFAA 6:02 PM. CDT July 30, 2016
(Photo: KENS)
Details have emerged about pilot and the company involved in the hot air balloon crash that killed at least 16 people Saturday morning in Central Texas.
The pilot who was flying the balloon was Skip Nichols, News 8 confirmed. Nichols, who lists a title of “Chief Pilot” on his Facebook page, is also the owner of Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides.
Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides’ registered address according to the Better Business Bureau is in New Braunfels, between San Antonio and Austin. The company also has Austin and San Marcos locations listed online and provided rides around south and central Texas.
Up to 24 people are allowed on a balloon flight, according to the company's website.
Nichols posted videos of several balloon flights to his Facebook page.
Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides is not accredited by the BBB and has a D+ rating. Six complaints have been filed, primarily regarding canceled flights.
Dean Carlton, president of the Balloon Federation of America, said accidents typically occur due to a variety of factors, including wind, weather and crashing into power lines.
Initial indications were that the balloon caught fire in mid-air, hit high-voltage power lines and fell to the ground. Witnesses told News 8 they heard explosions as the balloon approached.
FAA and NTSB officials will investigate whether Saturday’s crash was due to a mechanical error or a pilot error