re: 16 dead in hot air balloon accident in TX

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Do you recall when you saw this? I remember watching WAFB at morning and noon and they were covering a hot air balloon gathering in the late '80s or early '90s. Video showed a balloon coming down but all I could see was the basket and pilot. I could see the flame come out of the burner as he was reportedly trying to empty as much fuel out of the tank. The video went to black when it and they reported his death.

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It would have been in the early 90's. I was there. One of the seams split on the fabric. There are heat tabs sewn into the envelope of the balloons. The seams are weakened by flying the balloon "too hot." Once his split, she was seen rocking the basket back and forth trying to get the throat to open and heat the air.

His basket landed on a car near Airline highway. Witnesses said he was last seen with a leg over the basket trying to jump out. IIRC, that's about how he was found, partially out of the basket. Acadian was working the festival, and arrived almost immediately. He was DRT (dead, right there.)

The affore mentioned heat tabs collected by the FAA, revealed he had neglected his fabric by flying too hot, and not taking it out of service.