PARK CITY, UT, USA
N40968
RAVEN S-77A
WHILE ON A COMMERCIAL PAX SIGHTSEEING FLT, THE PLT ALLOWED A NON-RATED STUDENT PLT TO FLY THE BALLOON UNTIL IT NEARLY COLLIDED WITH BUILDINGS. THE PLT TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND APPLIED MAXIMUM BURNER HEATING TO AVOID IMPACT WITH THE BUILDINGS, WHICH RESULTED IN RAPID ASCENT TO APPROXIMATELY 3,000 FEET AGL. WINDS AT THAT ALTITUDE BLEW THE BALLOON OUT OF THE SMALL OPEN VALLEY WHERE THE FLTS WERE NORMALLY CONDUCTED. IT CROSSED A RIDGELINE AND WAS FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN WHERE THE PLT INITIATED A DESCENT FOR LANDING. THE BALLOON IMPACTED TRANSMISSION POWER LINES AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE GONDOLA WAS SEVERED FROM THE BALLOON BY ELECTRICAL ARCING AND FELL TO THE GROUND. THE NATURAL GAS FUEL TANKS EXPLODED AND BURNED, DESTROYING THE GONDOLA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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