Hot Air Balloon crash in Virginia May 9 2014

[jeta1]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/hot-air-ba ... -1.2638485

Unfortunately, unless you jump out right away and break a few bones, you dont stand much of a chance.

[single_swine_herder]

I know less than zero about hot air balloons, but wouldn't their required equipment include an extinguisher in something that has fire on-board?

[GyvAir]

[GyvAir]

On a more serious note though, I imagine even the largest hand held extinguisher would be a pretty lame defense against a fire started on the outside of the wicker gondola, or especially if the propane system was compromised by the arc flash when they hit the power lines.

[pdw]

I know less than zero about hot air balloons, but wouldn't their required equipment include an extinguisher in something that has fire on-board?

I bid and won at the Virgil Stampede a few years back, for the Remax balloon ride. The wicker is strong yet light, and wore a hat to protect from the heat (the intermittent BTU's coming from the burner).

I suspect GYVair is right, that the arc from the powerlines ignited very fast ... leaving no time , or made no difference, to grab around for an extinguisher. A real tragedy, ... so sad.

We got close to powerlines too and went back up, which reminds me that they would have been under full burner activation to evade them ... and then who knows what happens when the wires tip that basket while under flame ...

[AirFrame]

I know less than zero about hot air balloons, but wouldn't their required equipment include an extinguisher in something that has fire on-board?

I assume they carry one, but I would think that your first priority would be trying to get on the ground, not extinguishing the fire. According to the news report last night, witnesses said that the pilot tried to vent the bag so it would descend immediately after it hit the wires and caught fire. There's a ripcord that opens a huge window in the top of the bag for emergency descents, but maybe even that's not enough when you've got a sudden influx of hot air.