Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 24, 2013 20:08:04 GMT 12
Balloon crash pilot unlicensed
08:00 Sun Feb 24 2013
byAAP
The pilot of a hot air balloon which crashed in Wairarapa last year killing 11 people was not licensed to fly and did not take all the safety steps he could have, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has found.
Pilot Lance Hopping was flying the balloon when the basket became caught under a power line on January 7, 2012.
Mr Hopping tried to push it away, the balloon rose in the air, burst into flames, then crashed into a paddock, killing all on board.
Mr Hopping's medical certificate had expired six weeks before the fatal flight, the CAA found.
All licensed pilots must keep their medical certificate current and not fly if it has expired.
The CAA report said Mr Hopping also failed to take practicable steps to ensure the safety of his passengers, which contributed to the accident.
He had time to operate the parachute valve and rapid deflation system, which work to allow the balloon to descend, but had not done so.
It appeared he had not fully briefed passengers about the operation of the emergency equipment, which "may have denied the passengers the possibility of taking some action", the CAA said.
Insufficient communication with ground crew also contributed to the crash.
"The chief crewman ... did not identify the wires as an immediate hazard as he did not anticipate the pilot was going to land near that location."
Mr Hopping also had information outlining where the lines were and should have used this to mitigate danger, the CAA said.
"Being vigilant and looking out for power lines while in flight and taking avoiding action would have been a practicable step."
An interim Transport Accident Investigation Commission report released last year found that Mr Hopping had used cannabis.
The presence of the drug wasn't identified as the cause of the crash but the commission said it was a significant safety concern.
©AAP 2012
news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8615748/balloon-crash-pilot-not-fit-to-fly
08:00 Sun Feb 24 2013
byAAP
The pilot of a hot air balloon which crashed in Wairarapa last year killing 11 people was not licensed to fly and did not take all the safety steps he could have, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has found.
Pilot Lance Hopping was flying the balloon when the basket became caught under a power line on January 7, 2012.
Mr Hopping tried to push it away, the balloon rose in the air, burst into flames, then crashed into a paddock, killing all on board.
Mr Hopping's medical certificate had expired six weeks before the fatal flight, the CAA found.
All licensed pilots must keep their medical certificate current and not fly if it has expired.
The CAA report said Mr Hopping also failed to take practicable steps to ensure the safety of his passengers, which contributed to the accident.
He had time to operate the parachute valve and rapid deflation system, which work to allow the balloon to descend, but had not done so.
It appeared he had not fully briefed passengers about the operation of the emergency equipment, which "may have denied the passengers the possibility of taking some action", the CAA said.
Insufficient communication with ground crew also contributed to the crash.
"The chief crewman ... did not identify the wires as an immediate hazard as he did not anticipate the pilot was going to land near that location."
Mr Hopping also had information outlining where the lines were and should have used this to mitigate danger, the CAA said.
"Being vigilant and looking out for power lines while in flight and taking avoiding action would have been a practicable step."
An interim Transport Accident Investigation Commission report released last year found that Mr Hopping had used cannabis.
The presence of the drug wasn't identified as the cause of the crash but the commission said it was a significant safety concern.
©AAP 2012
news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8615748/balloon-crash-pilot-not-fit-to-fly
