What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
? On July 30, 2016, at 7:42 am EDT, a Balony kubicek BB85Z hot air balloon, N2469L, operated by heart of Texas hot air balloon rides, impacted power lines and burst into flames in a pasture about 30 miles south of austin, Texas, in the town of Lockhart. The commercial-rated pilot and all 15 passengers on board were killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident with calm winds and good visibility above however, a broken cloud layer below the balloon?s flight path obscurred the ground. Preliminary information indicates that the balloon contacted high voltage power lines during its descent for landing. The accident flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91 as a local air tour flight.
As the FAA filed it
? ON JULY 30, 2016, AT 7:42 AM EDT, A BALONY KUBICEK BB85Z HOT AIR BALLOON, N2469L, OPERATED BY HEART OF TEXAS HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES, IMPACTED POWER LINES AND BURST INTO FLAMES IN A PASTURE ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTH OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, IN THE TOWN OF LOCKHART. THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND ALL 15 PASSENGERS ON BOARD WERE KILLED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WITH CALM WINDS AND GOOD VISIBILITY ABOVE HOWEVER, A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER BELOW THE BALLOON?S FLIGHT PATH OBSCURRED THE GROUND. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION INDICATES THAT THE BALLOON CONTACTED HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINES DURING ITS DESCENT FOR LANDING. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AS A LOCAL AIR TOUR FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.