Posted on Thu, Sep. 25, 2008
A preliminary report on the fiery hot-air balloon accident in Chester County on Sept. 7 that claimed the life of the pilot and injured his seven passengers was released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The report doesn't suggest a cause of the accident, though; the NTSB says it's too soon for that. This is one step in an investigation that could take a year, said Shawn D. Etcher, an NTSB investigator. "We want to make sure we cover everything," he said. The agency's final report will analyze the data and identify a probable cause, he said.
The preliminary version, available on the Web via
http://go.philly.com/balloon, details the circumstances surrounding the accident. It notes that the pilot, Earl W. MacPherson Jr., landed the balloon in a Chester Springs field, about two miles from the intended destination outside Phoenixville.
According to the report, the basket of the balloon, owned by Air Ventures Balloon Rides, contacted the ground and then "bounced and skipped" across the field before rolling onto both sides. "Passengers reported feeling and seeing the flames coming from the area of the basket that contained the three fuel tanks," the report said.
- Kathleen Brady Shea
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