highfly 0 #1 January 8, 2012 This happened yesterday near Carterton in New Zealand http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6226729/Fatal-balloon-crash-victims-named "Police have released the names of the 11 people killed in a balloon crash near Carterton. The 11 died when their Early Morning Balloons flight hit powerlines and burst into flames yesterday. They were this afternoon named as balloon pilot Lance Hopping, 53 of Masterton, Howard and Diana Cox, aged 71 and 63, of Wellington, Desmond and Ann Dean, 65 and 70, of Masterton, cousins Valerie Bennett, 70, of Masterton, and Denise Dellabarca, 58, of Paraparaumu, Stephen Hopkirk, 50, and Belinda Harter, 49, of Lower Hutt, and Johannes (Chrisjan) Jordaan, 21, and Alexis Still, 19, of Wellington. Wairarapa Area Commander Brent Register extended his heartfelt sympathies to the families of those who died in the crash. Police would remain in contact with the victims' families as they came to terms with their loss, he said. Photos of the victims would be released in the coming days. "These families are extremely shocked," Register said. A further two bodies were removed from the scene this afternoon, while another two were bought out by two hearses this evening, under police escort, and in torrential rain. The others would remain at the scene overnight, police said. " RIP www.myspace.com/durtymac Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #2 January 8, 2012 That sucks. Best to jump out when you're really high. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redramdriver 0 #3 January 8, 2012 I've known your posts to be more sympathetic, and heartfelt, sad indeed.So, you bring your beer? Its 5 o'clock somewhere POPS #9344 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 100 #4 January 8, 2012 Quote That sucks. Best to jump out when you're really high. Two of then did jump, to escape the fire. Prolly made things worse because the loss of weight would make the balloon rise higher, combined with the extra heat generated by the fire itself. Any that survived the impact would have been covered in molten nylon from the balloon itself. Nasty way to go. Can't imagine how the pilot got himself into the situation in the first place, unless he ran out of gas or suffered a problem with his burner, surely he would have simply burnt a bit of gas to rise over the lines if he was getting close. RIP.My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #5 January 8, 2012 Quote Quote That sucks. Best to jump out when you're really high. Two of then did jump, to escape the fire. Prolly made things worse because the loss of weight would make the balloon rise higher, combined with the extra heat generated by the fire itself. Any that survived the impact would have been covered in molten nylon from the balloon itself. Nasty way to go. Can't imagine how the pilot got himself into the situation in the first place, unless he ran out of gas or suffered a problem with his burner, surely he would have simply burnt a bit of gas to rise over the lines if he was getting close. RIP. Indeed a most horrible way go.Historically our "sport" was developed from the emergency procedures developed to save airmen in need of exit from their burning aircraft during aerial combat. Many early airmen jumped to their deaths to escape the flames in the early days, before parachutes were available.. Just look at how people would rather face that long fall than to be burned as they did from the WTC on 9/11RIP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 100 #6 January 8, 2012 QuoteHistorically our "sport" was developed from the emergency procedures developed to save airmen in need of exit from their burning aircraft during aerial combat Many early airmen jumped to their deaths to escape the flames in the early days, before parachutes were available.. Interestingly, parachutes were available in WW1. The Germans used them for their balloon observers to use, and also their pilots, which meant many lived to fight another day. The British however did not. Some Colonel Blimp decided in his wisdom, that parachutes would provide the pilots with an excuse to bail out and avoid combat with the enemy (cowardice in the face of the enemy), and they decided as a matter of policy not to equip their pilots with them. A lot of British pilots went down in flames as a result. Not surprised really, just another example of the bungling idiots who conducted the battles..... Parachutes may not have been much of an option in this case...only 500feet of altitude, untrained pasengers, burning nylon raining down from the balloon itself. The accident happened at the end of a 45 minute flight, as the pilot was trying to land. Fairly still wind conditions at 7.30 in the morning. Like skydivers, I would think balloonists would be even more acutely aware of the dangers of power lines, even if he was trying to land close to a road to make his recovery crews job easier.... Fire and nylon, not a good combination....My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #7 January 9, 2012 QuoteCan't imagine how the pilot got himself into the situation in the first place, unless he ran out of gas or suffered a problem with his burner, surely he would have simply burnt a bit of gas to rise over the lines if he was getting close. 11 people is a lot for a hot air balloon - that thing had to be huge. Perhaps that makes it a bit sluggish to respond also. Maybe they got caught in a wind gust. Could be lots of things. A balloon pilot has a certain evelope temperature that he cannot exceed inside the balloon, or the nylon will melt. The melting point of nylon fabric is only 475-degrees. There's a sensor at the top of the balloon at the hottest point which gives that temperature on the pilots control panel. Perhaps he was already at his safe maximum temperature, and could give it no more fire, to lift that heavy load over the power lines. All conjecture, of course. Just throwing some info out there. Heck, if you see a collision just can't be avoided by ascending, pull the spill valve in the top and just get it back on the ground. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #8 January 9, 2012 QuoteI've known your posts to be more sympathetic, and heartfelt, sad indeed. Sorry. It's sometimes hard to convey emotions on the internet. It's tragic and nothing I can say will make it less so. The inventor of AFF instruction, Ken Colemen, was killed in a similar crash many years ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 100 #9 January 9, 2012 Quote11 people is a lot for a hot air balloon - that thing had to be huge. Perhaps that makes it a bit sluggish to respond also. Maybe they got caught in a wind gust. Could be lots of things. A balloon pilot has a certain evelope temperature that he cannot exceed inside the balloon, or the nylon will melt. The melting point of nylon fabric is only 475-degrees. There's a sensor at the top of the balloon at the hottest point which gives that temperature on the pilots control panel. Perhaps he was already at his safe maximum temperature, and could give it no more fire, to lift that heavy load over the power lines. All conjecture, of course. Just throwing some info out there. Heck, if you see a collision just can't be avoided by ascending, pull the spill valve in the top and just get it back on the ground. OK, I never knew that. However, wouldn't it be likely the max temperature would be more often at the top of an ascent, rather than after he had descended and perhaps not been on his burner so much?. Agree it might be sluggish and unweildy to manoevre a big heavy balloon.. Wind conditions were apparently very low, but I've done quite a bit of jumping in that area, and you can get some squirrely conditions even on apparently still days, especially if there is a westerly blowing over the top of the Ruahine ranges, just to the west of that region. I agree, like most aviation emergencies, the safest place to be is back on the ground, as quickly as possible. From powerline height some of them might have had a chance of getting out alive, if he'd just dumped it onto the deck....The two who bailed out might have negated any efforts he was making to do that however. He would have had his hands full, for sure....I 3expect he would have had a fire extinguisher aboard, but with 10 other people in a panic he could well have been overloaded with his tasks at that point....My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
