Reckless Pilot Crashes Hot Air Balloon Into Power Lines | Short Documentary

It is the 30th July 2016 and 15 passengers are meeting in a car park in san Marcos Texas, within a couple of hours they would all be killed in the Lockhart Hot Air Balloon Disaster.
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[@PlainlyDifficult]

►Thanks for watching, check out me other bits! ►My new EP: madebyjohn.bandcamp.com/album/retail-simulator ►Outro Song: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJPTnn2AjdaGhsksi=2_i6bKZUj3bjixzw ►Instagram: instagram.com/plainly.john/ ►Patreon: www.patreon.com/Plainlydifficult ►Merch: plainly-difficult.creator-spring.com ►Twitter:twitter.com/Plainly_D ►Sauces Used to Cook this video: www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-mandates-medical-requirements-commercial-balloon-pilots#:~:text=%E2%80%9CPassengers%20can%20now%20rest%20assured,exempt%20from%20the%20medical%20requirement. www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR1703.pdf

[@bertbaker7067]

This reminds me of a story you might be able to do a short video on. On November 27, 2022, a small plane crashed into a high tension power line pylon near Gaithersburg, MD, USA. The plane got stuck like 60ft off the ground and it took like 6 hours to rescue the people on the plane. Great videos man, thanks for sharing them with us.

[@arcanondrum6543]

You're getting criticized on the weather details but that's by people not appreciating that a Balloon pilot IS the weather. Anyway, dewpoint and ambient temperature close together means fog in cool weather "haze" in hot weather. It's a fact.

[@josvercaemer264]

GEN Z: what is a casette?

[@davepowell7168]

unsubscribed because of the standard of chatbot that this channel uses for comment

[@davemccage7918]

Do you sell an official PD Bingo Card set anywhere? I’d like to buy some reusable cards and chips instead of hand drawing them up.

[@jochenheiden]

I don’t have a fear of heights. I have a fear of being burned to death in a hot air balloon when the burner and propane tanks explode.

[@charaznable8072]

Damn can you imagine the horror of that scene a basket of what 14 people burning it's the stuff of nightmares.

[@VirgoShelter]

I wasn't expecting to see you here at all

[@jochenheiden]

@@VirgoShelter Who me?

[@VirgoShelter]

@@jochenheiden yeah lol, I seen your videos

[@jochenheiden]

@@VirgoShelter that’s cool man, thanks for watching! I am a consumer of other people’s KZbin channels as well and am subbed to many. I’ve been watching this guy for years.

[@ajh6354]

His failure to get his balloon's yearly inspection tells me his long term decision making is no better than his short term.

[@Xezlec]

Was.

[@GrowthCurveMarketing]

Getting into a wicker basket suspended by ropes from an airborne, un-steerable, and flammable envelope of hot gas heated by a huge, open flame fueled by pressurized propane never struck me as a good idea under ANY circumstances.

[@pdog547]

This.

[@GrimFelArt]

Like maybe in the times before aeroplanes first emerged and this was like, the only aviation option, yeah okay I guess makes sense. You wanna travel by air, well this is what you've got. But like, planes exist now? And are far more regulated, monitored and safe? If you're that desperate for some recreational aviation book a joyride in a small aircraft lol at least then you know you'll be monitored by air traffic control and radar etc., and the pilot would have had actual training (well, some can find ways to dodge that but there's a far higher chance the operator actually trained and legally acquired a license to fly) as opposed to some rando going "yeah I could fly that" lmao

[@rodterrell304]

Yep, me too, gonna keep my balloon butt on the ground.

[@daviddun1389]

Perhaps but the alternative is sitting in you mom's basement overweight with bad teeth and wacking off while watching a bingo rerun on a shopping channel.

[@Chris-hx3om]

The gas inside the balloon is not flammable. It's mostly just hot carbon dioxide (the result of propane being burnt. If it was flammable, then the flame used to provide the hot air would ignite it, and the balloon would immediately burst into flames... Which it does not.

[@1Dropboys]

The thing is. That they don't make good cassette players anymore

[@StudioPowerful]

Sadly I learned that too, I got a modern tape player (We are rewind) and an old walkman (EX677) and the walkman blows the new one out of the water! I will say though if you aren't an audiophile or don't care about the special features then you can get by with a modern player like the rewind or Fiio

[@hibbs1712]

Weird capitalists have seemingly moved on from cassette; so I can personally guarantee you find one in perfect condition secondhand for like ~$10-$20

[@brick6347]

​@@stedydubdetroitthey're mechanical devices, and they nearly all use the same shoddy mechanisms from one deck to the next. They might look fancy, but they're not.

[@lucashinch]

What? TASCAM , SONY, Pioneer and more are easily available.

[@Rose_Castle]

I can feel the smugness of my hoarder father haunting me wherever I go. He definitely still has some, and some cars that still only have a tape deck.

[@nivision]

oh. that was odd to encounter this morning. my first boyfriend died in this. respectful job, no shade intended, just strange feeling.

[@PlainlyDifficult]

That’s understandable thank you for your comment!

[@kskssxoxskskss2189]

So sorry for your loss

[@nivision]

@@PlainlyDifficult you did a great job covering what went wrong from what I understood though, so thank you. it just took a bit to get to these words. :) been following for a few years now!

[@vivimannimarcos125]

Two sedatives AND a stimmy? Like, daily? Geeze, man was subjecting himself to multiple G forces

[@reddwarfer999]

He had the contents of a small chemist's running through his veins.

[@kristin7146]

2 sedatives, a stimulant, AND an opiate (so technically 3 sedatives).

[@DarterDamselfly]

I take those as well (prescription, currently trying to get off sedatives) but you don't see me flying any hot air balloons!

[@streettrialsandstuff]

That dude was drugged to the tits

[@jasonhaynes2952]

I'm inclined to think that you probably have to have some personality flaws and issues to become a balloon operator anyhow. I mean, thill seeking, lack of fear, probably a bit nutty IMHO. Not that all are, just that those types might be attracted to this kind of career

[@wunderstein8224]

In 2015, about a year before this happened, I took my ex-wife and myself as a gift to her on this exact balloon with this pilot. I still have pics of the smiley face balloon being filled and then pics up in the wicker basket. I still lived in San Antonio at the time I heard of this accident, just freaky to know that this happened in the exact same basket and on the same balloon you were in one year earlier.

[@Him_He_Me]

Was he impaired? Cos that is one hell of a cocktail of drigs he was taking.

[@13donstalos]

@@Him_He_Me Fr I just wanna be high like him

[@saphiriathebluedragonknight375]

My parents can kind of relate. On their honeymoon they rode a gondola. Like a week later there was a fatal accident on it. My siblings and I were that close to possibly being seperated.

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

I have spinal injuries, and am on medication that would impair my ability to drive. So I've given up driving, voluntarily. I really couldn't live with myself if I hurt someone.

[@donaldatherton319]

Wise, get better if possible

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

Same. My migraine medication causes brainfog and slower reaction times, and I don't feel comfortable driving without my head completely clear. The fact that my stepfather was killed in a brutal car crash doesn't make me feel any safer on the road, and the thought that my meds could cause that kind of pain to another family is unbearable. I walk or take transit.

[@leigha2814]

​@@thing_under_the_stairswild. I don't take a reactive migraine med, just a preventative, but if I get a migraine it is way more dizzying and disorienting than any medication could be (other than the ones I've gotten on IV in the hospital exclusively). Migraine is so weird like that. No wonder they can't get anywhere near curing it.

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

@@leigha2814 I need both kinds of meds, unfortunately, but you're right about actual migraines being worse than either! When I've got one I'm usually barely functional. And never mind finding a cure, they're still not 100% on the causes! So far the best treatment I've found is Botox injections, which have reduced the intensity and frequency of my migraines by a huge extent, and I should be able to lighten up on the other meds once I've been on it longer, according to my neurologist. But how wild is it that the most effective treatment out there is injections of a dangerous neurotoxin into the nerves and muscles of the scalp, forehead, neck, and shoulders?

[@mrthreedaysgrace100]

@@thing_under_the_stairs ayyy rizatriptan gang?

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

This pilot the primary rule for fun flying: It's better to be on the ground wishing you were flying than up there wishing you weren't.

[@johndaniels4623]

Some details were omitted that are important to cover. First, he was not the only pilot meeting passengers that morning, this pilot and 5 other pilots met, reviewed the weather, and the other 5 cancelled their flights because they knew those conditions would generate fog. This pilot went against more experienced pilot’s recommendations to say on the ground. Next, even though this was a 1 man operation, he was playing games with the FAA to stay in business. He transferred ownership of the balloon and the company to his mother in Florida. As far as the FAA knew, he no longer had a balloon or a ride business. His mother ran the website and the bookings for rides from Florida. Third, this pilot was seeing three different doctors an MD in Texas, an MD in Missouri, and a psychiatrist in Missouri. None of these doctors knew about each other, their recommendations, or prescriptions written. Many of the drugs in his system would have prevented him from obtaining a medical certificate if required. Even if he had a medical certificate, nothing would have stropped him from going out what he did and killing everyone in the basket. Ironically, he hit the ONLY high voltage line running through that part of Texas, had he stayed aloft and additional 10 to 15 minutes the fog would have parted and he would have been able to make a normal landing in VFR conditions. In fact, by the time emergency crews arrived weather conditions were VFR. He was not a responsible pilot or a conscientious pilot, only someone concerned about skirting the rules to make money. This man, single-handedly ruined ballooning for all of the rule abiding aviators. It doesn’t matter that he was a balloon pilot, his attitude would have been dangerous in gliders, helicopters, or airplanes.

[@fredMplanenut]

Similar traits exhibited concerning the pilot and the Shoreham crash here in the U.K.. One person's bad decisions affect so many.

[@neilkurzman4907]

He single-handedly did it? No the industry did it because the industry decided it didn’t want any government regulations. Because they knew better. it wouldn’t be the first time that one bad apple did spoil the entire bunch. Which is why after events like this turns out industry groups demand the government regulate them. Kind of funny isn’t it, but yes, a lot of regulations are written in blood, including this regulation.

[@brick6347]

There's a surprising amount of cassette enthusiasts out there. Techmoan springs to mind.

[@PlainlyDifficult]

I agree it’s a nice medium and as a musician it really makes you think about the flow of an album when you have to consider the linear experience

[@glitchedoom]

That's who got me into it.

[@DaleDix]

Well that's one.

[@NinoJoel]

Well done right cassettes can have a crazy high music quality and last very long. They are easy to handle and robust. They also don't cost much compared to other media and are still readily available. I also like the fact they slow down the short lived over consumption of music as a media. If you have a cassette you just take more time listening closely rather than jumping and skipping tracks back and forth.

[@DaleDix]

I have an almost new double cassette/cd player.

[@Spectator1959]

My wife had purchased a flight for us with this same company that same year as an anniversary celebration. We attempted to go on several earlier flights during the spring and summer, but they were all canceled early in the morning because of cloudy weather. I don’t recall why we didn’t try to go on this one, but turned out to be a good thing.

[@katjay3125]

what a terrible way to celebrate anything

[@TraTranc]

FAA before: _"I do not care."_ FAA after: _"WTF BRO!"_

[@JoshuaTootell]

"Regulations are written in blood" Rarely are regulations written before an accident.

[@AeroGuy07]

So me, who drove non-CDL trucks and hauled cargo, had to have a DOT medical certification, but a guy who takes people up in the air in a balloon doesn't. Makes sense.

[@stellviahohenheim]

Probably because a hot air balloon doesn't have complex controls

[@jooleebilly]

Most people who haul cargo ALSO have to take drug tests. And they check your driving record. What are the chances you'd get a job doing that if you tested positive for benzos and oxy, and had 2+ DUIs? My guess is ZERO. ZERO chances. I wonder when those rules were put in place. I wouldn't be surprised if balloon pilot rules were set back in the 60s when almost nobody did it commercially. Or there's a lobbying group fighting regulations. I would look it up, but.

[@AeroGuy07]

@stellviahohenheim I would be willing to bet that a hot air balloon is harder to operate than a 24ft straight truck.

[@katjay3125]

A way of weeding out idiots

[@jade-sz5mw]

hot air balloons have always seemed shady to me, this just seals the deal

[@WeldinMike27]

If the burner fails, they reach terminal velocity in an unbelievably short time. Just so you know.

[@CarlosAM1]

I mean yeah, its a balloon, your control authority basically boils down to going up, going down and praying if something else goes wrong. Edit: to which may I add the chance of something else going wrong and dying is very low, even lower than the chances of dying when driving a car

[@tylerromero]

They should have airbag systems or something so you can survive the fall

[@xeviphract5894]

Andrée's Arctic balloon expedition of 1897 - Where dying in the crash would have been a mercy.

[@alistairmackintosh9412]

​@@xeviphract5894The 19th century equivalent of tech bros...

[@alexwolf3162]

I'm 87 and I'm glad i lived long enough to see this video. Thank you.

[@dorokaiyinvil5705]

Why? 🧐

[@ohsweetmystery]

@@dorokaiyinvil5705It's just meant to be a compliment.

[@worawatli8952]

@@dorokaiyinvil5705 He might had fear of hot air balloon, and now he felt that it was a reasonable fear to have. lol I also don't dare to go on them, I'd rather take blimps, inert gas don't catch fire.

[@samholdsworth420]

LOL old people are not on KZbin

[@dukebaloof2540]

@@samholdsworth420 Exactly lol

[@Haarschmuckfachgeschafttadpole]

For anyone curious powerlines are still very dangerous without even having a ground due to the phase to phase voltage. For a normal 7.2kV line phase-to-phase voltage is 12,470V. So you can be electrocuted without even touching something that's grounded. This is what caused the fire. The lines they hit were transmission lines well over 100kV.

[@13donstalos]

I'm just curious how to pronounce your YT handle

[@uploadJ]

Yes, and on the HV transmission towers there are (usually) two top wires called static (grounded) lines that form a sort of shield meant for intercepting lightning ...

[@kawaiiarchive357]

Where I live the thieves have a nasty habit of stealing hot air balloons. I don't know who would buy a stolen ballon, seems really silly.

[@reachandler3655]

For a moment I misread that as "I don't know who would joyride a stollen balloon" 😂

[@stellviahohenheim]

They probably sold the propane

[@mbryson2899]

​@@stellviahohenheimThere's a LOT of high quality, light and tough fabric, too.

[@thecalham]

Lol you don't happen to live in Florida

[@bmstylee]

​@@stellviahohenheimso would the balloon be a propane accessory? Hank Hill would like to know.

[@jamesdelatour2266]

When it got to listing his “prescription” 🤣 bloke was off his face

[@antoineroquentin2297]

Depends on the dosage but yea that's an "interesting" combination. A combination of Bupropion and Methylphenidate can also cause seizures

[@Sniperboy5551]

@antoineroquentin2297 It *can* but it would likely happen when beginning or increasing the dose, rather than randomly occurring while being on a constant dose of those meds.

[@jamesdelatour2266]

@@Sniperboy5551 No one should be on a strong opioid painkiller, a benzodiazepine and a stimulant all at once long term. That’s a cocktail of euphoria and reduced inhibitions.

[@iangrice329]

More like he was comatosed. In the UK you can't drive if you take diazepam.

[@Flying_Fetus]

​​​​@@jamesdelatour2266I'm on Xanax, Vyvanse, and I'm wearing a Duragesic patch. I'm currently driving a forklift with a 900 pound pallet of toxic Schiifs Reagent in glass bottles on my tynes while simultaneously tapping out this comment. How does this make you feel?

[@charlotteinnocent8752]

I did the flight medical for my private single engine fixed wing license and I had forgotten that a medical wasn't needed for a hot air balloon pilot. That is a HUGE mistake. I hate to see more of the "tombstone regulation" stories, but sadly it seems to be the world we live in. Most of the little I knew about hot air balloons was that we always gave way for them, I didn't need to know more.

[@ferretyluv]

Texas, that’s why. It took a chemical plant exploding and killing hundreds of kids for them to have just one zoning regulation: no factories near schools.

[@13donstalos]

Safety regulations are written in blood

[@charlotteinnocent8752]

@@13donstalos Exactly!

[@thejudgmentalcat]

The pilot was flying higher than his balloon

[@jayb8154]

I use your bingo card every time my boss comes up with a new plan. I usually get 4-5 stamped.

[@Ken-er9cq]

Bupropion is also used to reduce smoking. He seems to have a strange mix of drugs, and who now’s the effect of the combination. Maybe he was just naturally impulsive and a risk taker.

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

I'm wondering about taking diazepam (Valium) first thing in the morning? That and the Oxycodone are pretty addictive. Did he have substance abuse issues?

[@INGR1D]

Bupropion is sometimes prescribed (off-label) to treat adhd.

[@INGR1D]

​@thing_under_the_stairs The half-life of diazepam is long.

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

@@INGR1D True, I hadn't considered that, and the amounts of each in his bloodstream compared to his body weight weren't specified either. Still, when considered along with the fact that he'd been nailed for DUIs multiple times, it is at least suggestive of potential addictive behaviour.

[@GoBlueGirl78]

@@thing_under_the_stairs Valium is also used as a muscle relaxant.

[@connordoner]

A sunny Saturday and another Plainly Difficult video? What a way to end the week! 😁

[@Rose_Castle]

My boyfriend once started talking at the end and I had to yell at him to shut up because I always want to knkw what the weather is doing in your corner. fyi, in sydney it is raining.

[@blakewhite3131]

bf shush, we need to know how John describes the weather

[@Rose_Castle]

@@blakewhite3131 frfr, i lean in for the knowledge and then nod like I have been blessed with good knowledge.

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

I love all the comments about weather around the world that John's weather report prompts. I'd never have known that it's raining in Sydney without this comment, but for some reason, I'm glad you told us. It's warm and a bit cloudy in Toronto, with a nice breeze off Lake Ontario.

[@jo-vf8jx]

You left off what the temperature is ;) It’s nice and sunny here in Memphis, TN It’s around 74 Fahrenheit/23 Celsius

[@Rose_Castle]

@jo-vf8jx I was going to say "cold" but it is Australia cold, which the English would only mock me for, and I would be complaining about the cold while wearing a short sleeve nighty. And I worry when I complain about the cold and I am not dressed appropriately that the sheer audacity will be used as energy to summon a Mum Spirit who will tell me that if I'm so cold I should put on a cardigan.

[@csh8451]

If I had a nickel for every balloon disaster involving a nickel, id still be broke

[@Joshdun248]

My wife (22 at the time) and her mother were both on board when the accident happened. I'd just gotten out of the army and our daughter was 11 months old when it happened. My daughter is 8 years old now and I'm still a single parent, its strange to think how different everything has been. I saw when this when it was first posted but couldn't respond until now. I appreciate there still being light shown on this subject.

[@mayamar529]

I took part in a hot air ballon tour. The date was moved a lot because of all kind of problems (mostly weather). It was like standing on a balcony. There was no wind because the ballon moved with the wind. It was not cold because the air in the ballon had to be heated from time to time. It wasn't really what I had expected. But all went well.

[@KD2HJP]

If it doesn't have positive control surfaces, I'm not getting on it. End

[@KD2HJP]

Ok, not End I'm now at 9:26 in this video and holy heck, I take some of those and I refuse to drive. I love driving..That's a pharmacy or apothecary or dealer stuff. EIGHTEEN PASSENGERS! 18. £175 to £999 each. Making a killing despite depression and weather Oh yeah

[@ariaangela3455]

Whooo! Double upload week! That aside, I always like how you make reports of these incidents so easily digestible

[@bryonnevis2187]

There is a lot to this story that is missing. Hot air ballooning is a VERY SMALL community. It's almost impossible to fly a hot air balloon and be "anonymous." A hot air balloon is designed to stick out! Here is what I don't understand: Even before his first balloon lesson, he would have needed a student medical to start training and it would have been made aware to him at that time that most over-the-counter drugs (and prescription) cannot by used while flying. If he then got both his private balloon pilot and commercial balloon pilot certificates, there were instructors who needed to sign him off to take his checkrides, and FAA designated pilot examiners to sign off his certificates, not to mention periodic flight reviews. Was this pilot a role model of safety until he got his commercial certificate and then threw the manual out the basket, so to speak? Also, in the US, a commercial balloon rating is a flight instructor rating for balloons: he would be tested on the flight instructor curriculum in addition to the commercial pilot curriculum, and expected to know the regulations pretty much by heart to be able to teach them to others. Also, what about the chase crew--how could they observe such flagrant violations of the regulations and not say anything, or did he go out of his way to get a chase crew that was totally oblivious to what the regulations are? All hot air balloon pilots I know are safety-conscious, hold regular safety seminars, and are on a first-name basis with the safety representative at the local FSDO. How could anybody not notice a pattern of misbehavior or know about it and not say anything? And using high-tech gadgets to keep in touch with the ground crew instead of reliable a two-way radio? How many warning signs were ignored before this tragedy?

[@oldcynic6964]

Bryon: That's a long question. My short answer is: - I suspect he lied like a Persian rug - about everything. - Chase crew knew nothing about rules 'n regs. Just employed to drive the truck and haul stuff - Being on a first-name basis with the safety rep is a good way to make him feel uncomfortable about calling you out.

[@mimsydreams]

As someone who takes cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxant for fibromyalgia... I can't imagine trying to function during the day while on it. Geez.

[@DarterDamselfly]

I've been on it twice a day for a year via my old doctor and when my current doctor found out she was like wtf no wonder you're foggy! Ever since I cut my dose I've felt much clearer. Yea my muscles hurt more but I'd rather have a clearer head. I always thought it was just the fibromyalgia 😢

[@mimsydreams]

@@DarterDamselfly I only take it at night. It doesn't actually relax my muscles, but it does make me sleepy.

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

Your pronouncement of the meds was spot on!

[@Flying_Fetus]

Man you're so close to 1 million! Been watching you for years now mr Plainly and your crude illustrations and atypical gait make you a true gem when more and more AI content finds its way into the algorithm. Please keep up the awesome work!

[@luvondarox]

Oh my gosh, an actual cassette tape. I didn't know you could still make them! I miss my old boombox, man, you have no idea. CDs, radio, _dual_ cassette player... gosh it was amazing. It would be fantastic to listen to cassettes again.

[@cadillacdeville5828]

Good morning Johnny thank you for making my Saturday even better.

[@PlainlyDifficult]

Thank you!!

[@Flame-Bright-Cheer]

Way to keep the Nostalgia alive with the cassette tapes and a double double bonus for you because yellow is an amazing color for a cassette

[@immikeurnot]

Glad you specified which Texas. For a minute there I thought it might be Texas, Angola.

[@charmcitytoe]

How was that guy even standing up? Funny that I have had to prove for years that my high blood pressure is under control in order to retain my Commercial Drivers License. I could have flown balloons and been pumped out of my gourd instead. (Thoughts and opinions by me; worth about a nickel and available on cassette. I still have my Tascam 202 MkII for good measure).

[@subduedreader5627]

I don't know if it is the case for the medications the pilot was on, but it is possible to build up tolerance for many medications, or he could have simply gotten used to how it felt to be on them and considered their effects to be normal for him.

[@ferretyluv]

Texas. Regulations are for liberals, that’s why.

[@Vicus_of_Utrecht]

​@@subduedreader5627it's definitely Big Pharma bribery at play. Those 5 meds prescribed at the same time? Absolutely maddening. Diazepam with oxycodone? Christ Almighty 😕

[@jamierosezappolo319]

Too funny🤣👍😂

[@Rachel_M_]

I was watching "Why buildings collapse" on BBC the other day about the Champlain Towers collapse... ... I looked well smart in front of my friends thanks to your video about it 😁

[@bschell1969]

Hey man this is America! We drunk drive! Good work!

[@bbbnuy3945]

i would possible mark off “time pressure” on the bingo card since as mentioned many of the occupants had previous balloon trips cancelled due to poor weather conditions. the pilot likely felt a sense of pressure to make good in the flight this time as to not disappoint passengers further.

[@notorioustori]

I work in Austin and remember waking up to this news story! I'm morbidly excited to see you cover this one, while I'm sad for the poor customers who took they're last electrifying joyride. I remember how my friends and I discussed how it was sad but not...erm, shocking. Thanks for the incredible background research.

[@robertl6196]

WTF?!?!? He was on uppers AND downers. Wonderful.

[@gatsbye53]

As always, great to see your videos!

[@Truckngirl]

This wasn't even the worst! On 26 February 2013, a hot air balloon crashed near Luxor, Egypt, killing 19 out of the 21 people on board.

[@lewisdoherty7621]

While failing to meet the balloon inspection on schedule had nothing to do with the accident, it is indicative of the willingness of the operator to ignore safety protocols which as we see spread to other areas.

[@joeschlepp]

what does a student pilot do when he washes out of pilot school? ... becomes a hot air balloon operator🤣

[@JustaMuteCat]

This reminds me of an accident that happened years back when I still lived between my parent’s home and my apartment during college. During a longer than usual break, I was staying at my parent’s and some dude with a motorized paraglider crashed into the powerlines of a power substation. Thankfully he didn’t die but the damage costs were quite severe for business as it was one of the hottest months of the year and the power was down for a significant chunk of the town for about 10 hours or so, between accident, rescue and retrieval of the paraglider totaled junk and restoring the damaged high voltage cables it damaged.

[@interstellarsurfer]

Hot air baloon pilot? More like passenger-in-command.

[@Engine33Truck]

I have never been this early on a Plainly Difficult video! Love your content!

[@JasonMartin915]

Another great video John 👏

[@PlainlyDifficult]

Thank you!!

[@SkunkApe407]

Hey, my Nan was from Guildford! Lovely little town, but you're right, it is a bit sleepy. Especially for a kid raised in Orlando, Florida. I always loved how quiet Guildford is, honestly.

[@ZGryphon]

John: "... as the company behind the disaster, The Heart of Texas, was a one-man operation." My brain, automatically: "I guess 'shift change' won't be a factor this time, then."

[@randomnotes]

I went on a hot air balloon ride once and it was spectacular. However, after having seen several disaster videos involving them, I don't think I'll ever do it again.

[@dustinharris8057]

Absolutely awesome video like we’ve came to enjoy from you ! Ty

[@squalosus223]

Two PD uploads in one week? Hallelujah!

[@PlainlyDifficult]

😂😬🌝

[@johnnychuk]

Thanks, John!

[@see62j]

Always wait for your weekly weather reports

[@arunningbet]

My friend’s mom has a hot air balloon and at one of the competitions another pilot hit the powerlines and his grandson and him had to jump out of the balloon. But it didn’t stop me from going up a couple times. It’s so serene.

[@firetruck988]

I don't like the primary focus being on the medical aspect. The fact that the pilot was also the business owner, and several flights had already been canceled, I think is enough to cause an unmedicated pilot to accept unnecessary risk for the sake of their business.

[@JennyfaninSweden]

The pilot sounded like a walking pharmacy

[@BrackenDawson]

Whatever you changed in the audio for this video, its great.

[@crazyguy32100]

2 in 2 days? Jon is spoiling us.

[@LilyKittyCatto]

No way id ever get in a hot air balloon! They are terrifying

[@jhonbus]

Same. Flying but you have no control over where you go.

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

Same. I really don't like heights, even in a plane, so balloons are out for me!

[@BrownWolverine]

My never ever is cruise ships. I would like to take a hot air balloon ride once.

[@darksu6947]

​@@BrownWolverineBoats are terrifying! Hot air balloons are a good time!

[@mewimi]

@@BrownWolverine Bring some climbing gear, you might be okay on a cruise ship... lol.

[@RR-kz4hq]

Love your videos ❤

[@dmd_design]

Two of those meds are often used to treat ADHD, but in combination with a sedative? Wtf?

[@Dia1Up]

I just wanted to say I gave your music a listen. Its top notch. Thank you john, from a currently perfectly clear corner of Canada. (Also what is your stance on use in videos?)

[@nyxorelius]

I remember hearing of this as i went off for my first semester of college in Texas;this event made me adamant that I will never ride a hot air ballon.

[@TanukiDigital]

Watching these big balloons being inflated in person is a pretty awesome experience, I've seen it a couple times. I would NEVER fly in one however.

[@MarianneKat]

Good pronunciations on the meds.

[@MarianneKat]

And holy crap most folks wouldn't be upright taking all that😮

[@ferretyluv]

So he was on Wellbutrin, cyclobenzaprine (back pain, probably), Valium, Ritalin, and hillbilly heroin (again, probably back pain). Just being on Ritalin alone disqualifies you from being a pilot. Hell, even an ADHD diagnosis disqualifies you from flying at all. I can’t imagine benzos + SSRI + amphetamines + opioids can result in good decision-making. The interactions alone would be crazy.

[@Tirani2]

I have a flight scheduled for the end of the month, while my mom is in town. I probably shouldn't watch this video, but I will.

[@raquelnunes9793]

And this is why regulations exist!

[@Broadcast1Channel]

Watching this from a different part of the surprising sunny London wondering if I mite see an aurora tonight...

[@Lyndiloo]

So glad you posted this after the hot air balloon festival, I would have chickened out and stayed home if you posted this last week.

[@PlainlyDifficult]

😂😂

[@darksu6947]

But did you die bro?

[@garycard1456]

You went to Surrey University? Same here. I lived in Guildford for a while, too. You probably know about Rubix and the restaurant called Chancellors (nicknamed 'Channies'). A notable attraction in Guildford was the 'Bearded Lady' who you could often see around North Street.

[@PlainlyDifficult]

I remember the bearded lady! I went uni at the ACM at rodboro buildings, used to have no money back then so me and some mates would go the spectrum just to watch people skate around. I lived in Guildford between 2005 and 2012

[@alankeith7866]

One of the most peaceful flights I've ever been on was a hot air balloon ride. Went out of Phoenix, Arizona.

[@PlainlyDifficult]

Sounds nice!

[@paulyiustravelogue]

Great episode as always! What’s wrong with your voice, John? You sounded like you were smoking for weeks, lol 😂

[@Miki90Mar]

I guess the driver's head must've been in the clouds to let this happen unfortunately

[@cjmillsnun]

Would add time pressure (you mentioned the passengers had had flights cancelled before), Overly confident official (the Pilot didn't even bother to check the weather and assumed everything would be fine).

[@PlainlyDifficult]

That’s true!

[@bryonnevis2187]

The only way you can steer a hot air balloon is via the weather. How can you NOT check the weather?!? Every question begets more questions!

[@sannyassi73]

I've been prescribed all of the drugs the guy was on- not all at once though. Mixing that all together.... that's a pretty potent recipe.

[@aidanofarrell2557]

Sorry to hear you used to live in Guildford

[@PlainlyDifficult]

😂😂

[@klocugh12]

Overly Confident Officials also would count, since FAA's exemption for balloon pilots was withdrawn.

[@merc7105]

Thank you.

[@PlainlyDifficult]

You're welcome!

[@cmotdibbler4454]

Clearly that power line pulled out in front of the balloon deliberately! ;)

[@BrainsofFrank]

Interesting it seems like the pilot was taking a mix of uppers and downers along with bad choices

[@hayatepilot]

Great video! What I always wanted to ask: What are the black and white stripes in the top right corner for?

[@krashd]

They indicate when an ad is coming, it's a homage to British TV which does the same.

[@monicabennett6620]

I enjoy your channel so much. I was in a hot air balloon accident. Thank God we all survived.

[@jenniferkaplan1956]

For the record, cyclobenzaprine is not a sedative. It's a muscle relaxer that can have sedative qualities for SOME users. It's enough that new users should be careful until they know how they react to it. However, it's not the same thing as taking a true sedative.

[@twocvbloke]

I've said this before on hot air balloon videos, but there's no way you'll ever get me on one, they're amazing to look at as they drift along on the air currents, but, there's no margin for error, and it's a long drop when things go wrong, and even worse when you're wholly reliant on one person piloting the thing, and if they're off their spud on meds like this, goodness knows what would happen...

[@SkyeFergus]

Sweet! My sterio still has a cassette tape deck

[@bradsanders407]

I love how the ntsb always comes in and monday morning quarterbacks the faa. "This should have been done that shouldnt have been allowed". Hey ntsb, you have all the relevant information BEFORE the accident. Why didnt you say then "hey you should change that before some idiot has more pills in his system than not crashes a hot air balloon into some powerlines killing everyone aboard"?

[@danielduncan6806]

Plainly Difficult: "This is where a long term friend of the channel..." Me: "Oh cool, a colab with another channel!" Plainly Difficult: "The NTSB..." Me: "Oh."

[@herzogsbuick]

funny you should mention, because my band, The Jephries, just released a single yesterday! It's called Song for a Deadman, iffn' ya wanna look it up. there may even be some cassettes still available :-D

[@GooseWaffe]

Wheyyy Guildford mentioned Yeah not much here, went to the uni for a little bit, had problem with adhd, dropped out, joined the railway 😂

[@damiendegrasse]

That must have been a horrific scene.

[@timfields696]

My girlfriend was with a girl while her parents went on a mini 2nd honeymoon flight on a hot air balloon and they were watching the news together when she found out she was an orphan because of this accident... I cannot imagine what that could have been like. My heart goes out to the families of the victims of this avoidable accident.

[@oldmcdonald3013]

Yay new vid !