Says Poor Piloting Decisions, Lack of Medical Requirements, Led to Fatal Texas Balloon Accident

The NTSB on Tuesday called on the FAA to remove its medical certification exemption for commercial balloon operators, saying it contributed to a July 30, 2016, balloon crash that fatally injured 15 passengers and the pilot.

The board found that the balloon pilot’s “pattern of poor decision-making” led to the balloon striking power lines and then crashing to the ground. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairing medical conditions and medications that likely affected his decision-making.

“The pilot’s poor decisions were his and his alone,’’ said NTSB Chairman Robert L. Sumwalt during the board meeting. “But other decisions within government, dating back decades, enabled his poor decision to fly with impairing medical conditions, while using medications that should have grounded him.”

Investigators found that depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the combined effects of multiple central nervous system-impairing drugs likely affected the pilot’s ability to make safe decisions.

The investigation also found that the balloon pilot should have cancelled the sight-seeing flight because of deteriorating weather conditions and, once in the air, should not have climbed above the clouds. The pilot’s decision to then attempt to land in reduced visibility conditions diminished his ability to see and avoid obstacles and resulted in the balloon impacting power lines.

Currently, the FAA exempts commercial balloon pilots from medical certification. This eliminated the potential opportunity for an aviation medical examiner to identify the pilot’s potentially impairing medical conditions and medications. Had a medical certificate been required, the FAA would also have had an opportunity to identify the pilot’s history of drug- and alcohol-related traffic offenses.

The investigation also found fault with the FAA’s oversight of commercial balloon operators.

The board Tuesday approved two recommendations to the FAA. It called on the agency to remove the medical certificate exemption for commercial balloon operators and urged it to find ways to better provide oversight of balloon operators.

“Today’s recommendations, if acted on, will help to bring the safety standards closer to those that apply to powered flight,’’ Sumwalt said. “Balloon pilots, their passengers, and their passengers’ loved ones deserve no less.’’

The board said the final report will be publicly released in the next several days.

(Source: NTSB news release. Image from file)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov/news/events/Documents/2017-DCA16MA204-BMG-abstract.pdf