Balloonist Accident in Albuqurque at the Balloon Fiesta

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

This accident happened about 100 ft to my left and then I have several shots of her FAST DECENT and crash which occured about 200 ft to my right

http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/re...on-mishap.html


I was shooting a giant Pepsi Can over my head and I heard a loud crowd sound to my left and just saw this balloon accending like crazy (about 4 times normal speed) in an area the balloons are trying to get low to the ground so I knew that somebody fell out of one. See they were doing what is called a Texas Hold Em and an X drop where they throw beanbags with streamers at card targets (each about the size of a twin bed) or a big X. So I have a shot of the crowd running toward the injured man and then right after that I heard someone say ITS COMING DOWN so I shot the decent of the woman who had stayed in the basket (ABout 7 shots). Turns out that she was the PILOT and not HIM and she must have panicked since she was in no way going to crash (could have hit a balloon above her as a posibility) but she rose very fast and pulled what is called the crown out of the balloon which caused her to decend like a rock- about 250 or so ft in a few seconds this was verified by a balloon pilot that I spoke to that was above her and saw the crown line get pulled. She actually was walking before the EMS guys got to her after about 90 seconds once she was on the ground but they took her by ambulance to the hospital anyway, once they loaded her onto the ambulance they didn't depart for over 5 minutes so the crowd knew that her injuries were not life threatening though it was a HARD landing.

My pics show her clearly with one hand on the gas jet control above her head and one on a control line as she is dropping from about 200 ft and then letting go of the jet control and starting to brace herself in the balloon right before it hit.

(sorry no pic right now since I left my stupid flash card reader at home before going to the Fiesta -will try to find a store here to buy one in the next hour).

Talked to several ballonists who said that they would have just hit the burners hard and burned through the "throat" of the balloon since it had closed oh her when she started to drop (this would have given a hole in the bottom of the envelope to allow hot air in and the balloons are designed to allow this to happen and let the pilot get control of some sort on their decent.

I did not see the guy fall from the top of the building peak that they had snagged with the bottom of the balloonists basket which caused him to tumble out and drop about 25 ft onto grass- missing some tables nearby by less than 10 ft. and a small fence by no more than 20 ft.-but did see her in the balloon just accend like crazy. I talked to three guys who saw him fall and in fact there were at least 2 other balloons that came within 20 ft of hitting another building or light stanchions on their approaches.

Heard that 20 pilots decided not to fly because of the winds.

[kwhite]

Good description of the action. I can pretty well see it in my minds eye. Given the congestion of balloons, spectators and chase crews during mass ascents it is a wonder there are not more incidents.

I'm Looking forward to seeing your images. No doubt the Fiesta is one of the best photo ops you will find anywhere. I lived on the East Mesa for a number of years and had a great view of the action right from my front yard.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

This was during the Texas Hold Em where they inflate off site and fly in trying to hit a target with bean bags and she dropped too low and hit the structure and lost her passenger. I am trying to load the pics right now-got a card reader. Pbase is working but slow, so have a couple pics up (need to rotate at least one) and will be adding the rest soon-then posting in a full description after the pics are up.

DEMDeepEllumMusic added 53 Minutes and 56 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

http://www.pbase.com/pgkps/balloonis...nt_fiesta_2009

DEMDeepEllumMusic added 94 Minutes and 17 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Main batch of pics are up, still have a few of EMS/Police/Staff/Zebras(flight officials) to add.

[dbphotos]

You have some nice photos and may I say CLEAN YOUR SENSOR! That's about the dirtiest sensor I've seen.

Nice description of what happened. Amazing that no one was killed. Thanks for posting.

[ldelacruz]

Sorry to hear.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

The gentleman who fell out was 70 and the lady pilot was 55 he is in critical condition while she was admitted to the hospital.

I still don't know why she pulled her crown piece since when you pull that it deflates the balloon-she just must have paniced or she accidently grabbed the rope when she was rising so fast thinking it may have been a vent control and not the one that opens up the crown. (the crown is at the very center top of the balloon and opens up about 8 ft in diameter space at the top of the envelope and when you pull it there is no way to get it back in place). She is very lucky to be alive since she did fall well over 200 ft-one of the TV stations caught them hitting the tent and loosing him and then they show the decent that she went through and it is drastic.

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Hey Paul,

What's the weather outlook look like for this weekend out there?

Joe

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Supposed to be good- temps in upper 40's to mid 70's but the wind is totally unpredictable for launch much more than a few hours in advance. Looks like good launch conditions this morning and a bit calmer than yesterday.

Special Shapes that were being held up in China, some political thing, has been resolved and they should be in town for the weekend.

I would check the papers website for the current conditions updates or the Fiestas site.
http://www.balloonfiesta.com/
Updated 10/06/09 5:38am mountain time
Temperature: 52.4 F
Wind: 5.0 mph From
NNE (30 Deg.)
10 Minute Avg.
Wind Speed = 4.0 mph
Station Pressure: 29.712 in
3 Hour Pressure Trend:
Rising Slowly
Sunrise 7:05a Sunset 6:43p