Fatal Balloon Crash

By: Flying-A - 9th September 2008 at 04:50

From WFMZ-TV Channel 69, Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA:

POSTED: 09-08-2008 12:09 PM ET | MODIFIED: 09-08-2008 11:33 PM ET

One Killed, 7 Hurt in Hot Air Balloon Accident in Chester County

Seven passengers are recovering after escaping from a frightening ride in a hot air balloon in West Vincent Township. The pilot was killed when the balloon crashed into a field Sunday night. WFMZ's Karin Mallett reports.

The pilot was 67 year old Earl MacPhearson of Pennsville, New Jersey. He was a pilot with the balloon company - Air Ventures of Chester Springs. Police say MacPhearson was unable to get out of the burning basket and died at the scene. All of his passengers survived. >>

REPORTER: This is all that's left of the basket- a wire core.. the deflated balloon lying next to it on the smoldering grass. The balloon came down just 2 miles from the liftoff site- And police say when the basket hit the ground- a propane hose came off.. it made contact with an open flame- igniting the balloon and the basket. The chase crew- which is the group that follows the balloon on the ground in a van- made the call to 911. The balloon came down in the Jancics' backyard. >>

Liv Jancic I saw the big air balloon going behind the house- We ran outside and we saw the people diving out. >>

REPORTER: Everyone except the pilot. Liv Jancic says she and her mother passed out wet towels so the passengers could cool their burns. >>

Jancic: The pilot was still inside the hot air balloon and he didn't make it out because he was the last one in there. >>

REPORTER: Federal investigators spent the day at the crash site- after the initial investigation- the balloon wreckage will be transferred to a secure salvage facility. The NTSB keeps track of balloon accidents in an online database. According to the website- this is the first fatal balloon crash this year. 4 other balloons have gone down- but no one was killed. In 2007 - there were 15 crashes.. 3 of them fatal. >>

Karin Mallett: Investigators say it will likely be months - up to a year before they know what caused the crash- In Reading- Karin Mallett 69 News Berks Edition.