Fishers, IN Hot Air Balloon Accident, Aug 1978
Posted January 29th, 2012 by Stu Beitler
THREE PERSONS KILLED IN BALLOON ACCIDENT.
Fishers, Ind. (UPI) -- Three persons, a woman and two men, were killed Tuesday night in a fiery hot-air balloon accident near this Hamilton County community about 15 miles northeast of Indianapolis, police said.
Indiana State Police investigators said the deaths occurred when the balloon caught fire after it bacame entangled in high-voltage power lines while attempting to land in a soybean field.
Indiana State Police identified the victims as ELIZABETH DOMONT, 31, Indianapolis, pilot of the balloon; MICHAEL A. KELLY, 30, Bloomington, and JAMES E. KOHS, 44, Indianapolis.
All three victims suffered extensive burns in addition to other injuries, police said.
Indiana State Police Sgt. Claude Zook witnessed the tragedy and said he saw a man and a woman jump from the balloon from a height of about 100 feet after the pilot apparently freed the burning craft from the electrical wires and began an ascent.
Authorities said the third victim plunged to earth about one-half mile away minutes later in the smoldering gondola which separated from the air-filled canopy after flames burned through the ropes holding the basket.
The main part of the balloon deflated and landed another mile from the gondola, troopers said.
Zook, who was off duty and driving in a car accompanied by his wife, said the basket carrying the third victim must have fallen about 200 feet.
The ill-fated craft was one of four in a leisure flying formation. One of the balloons had landed in a field and the second craft then attempted to set down. State Police indicated the pilot either had a problem or apparently failed to see the power lines as he descended.
Sparks were visible almost immediately and witnesses also said they saw what appeared to be an explosion. Troopers said that might have been a gas bottle used to heat the air to keep the craft flying.
Besides state police, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board was asked to investigate.
Pharos Tribune Logansport Indiana 1978-08-30
__________________
Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!
Search for more information on this disaster and other train wrecks, fires, accidents, etc. in historical newspapers in the Newspaper Archive. Over one billion newspaper articles online!
Search for your ancestors among the billions of names at ancestry.com Find death records, census images, immigration lists and genealogy other databases for your surnames. Use this Free trial
to search for your ancestors.
Start Your Family Tree It's FREE and easy. Start with yourself, your parents, grandparents and you're on your way to building your family history! Get Started Now and build your family tree at ancestry.com. It's Free!
Find Your Ancestors For Free!
Take advantage of a free trial and start finding more information on your ancestors!
Military Records - 7 days for FREE! Fold3 Civil War, World War I, World War II, and more
Birth, Death, Marriage & Divorce Records, Obituaries - 7 days for FREE! Find genealogy records at archives.com
Census Records, Vital Records, Old Newspapers - 14 days for FREE! Trace your families history at ancestry.com Search millions of records.
Yearbooks, Death Records, Histories, Obituaries, - 3 days for FREE! Search huge database of Records at worldvitalrecords.com
|
gendisasters.com is a genealogy site, compiling information on the historic disasters, events, and tragic accidents our ancestors endured, as well as, information about their life and death. Database and records searchable by surname. Compilation, design, artwork and concept covered by copyright. Copyright ©2006-2012, All rights reserved. Contact me. Privacy Policy. |