ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 188936
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| Date: | Saturday 30 July 2016 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Kubicek BB85Z |
| Owner/operator: | Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides |
| Registration: | N2469L |
| MSN: | 1076 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 16 / Occupants: 16 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lockhart, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Fentress, TX (XS90) |
| Fentress, TX (XS90) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On July 30, 2016, about 0742 central daylight time, a Balóny Kubícek BB85Z hot air balloon, N2469L, operated by Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides, struck power lines and crashed in a field near Lockhart, Texas. The pilot and 15 passengers died, and the balloon was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The balloon was owned and operated by the pilot, and the flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a sightseeing passenger flight. The flight originated about 0658, just after sunrise, from Fentress Airpark, Fentress, Texas.
Probable Cause: The pilot's pattern of poor decision-making that led to the initial launch, continued flight in fog and above clouds, and descent near or through clouds that decreased the pilot's ability to see and avoid obstacles. Contributing to the accident were (1) the pilot's impairing medical conditions and medications and (2) the Federal Aviation Administration's policy to not require a medical certificate for commercial balloon pilots.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Jul-2016 16:11 | Aerossurance | Added |
| 30-Jul-2016 16:13 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Source, Embed code, Damage] |
| 30-Jul-2016 16:16 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 30-Jul-2016 16:17 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 30-Jul-2016 16:58 | StreetF117 | Updated [Time] |
| 30-Jul-2016 17:00 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code] |
| 30-Jul-2016 17:35 | Hans Gruber | Updated [Phase, Source, Embed code] |
| 30-Jul-2016 20:02 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 30-Jul-2016 20:10 | harro | Updated [Embed code] |
| 31-Jul-2016 07:52 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 31-Jul-2016 16:59 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 31-Jul-2016 17:00 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator] |
| 31-Jul-2016 21:51 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Aug-2016 06:45 | Aerossurance | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source] |
| 01-Aug-2016 07:02 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Narrative] |
| 01-Aug-2016 11:13 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Registration, Source, Embed code] |
| 01-Aug-2016 13:33 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Aug-2016 10:51 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Nov-2017 08:59 | Captain Adam | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Dec-2017 20:01 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 16-Feb-2020 15:39 | harro | Updated [Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 15-Nov-2021 09:59 | BEAVERSPOTTER | Updated [Cn] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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