Hot Air Balloon Crash Landing

We were supposed to go on a "magical balloon adventure"...UNDERLINE 'adventure'...before signing the waiver, they told us nothing had gone wrong in over 30 years...I guess there's always a first time for everything. The adventure didn't end with the crash landing. We had to stay in the basket to help weigh the balloon down till they could cover the thorny lemon trees with tarps to deflate (and not rip) the balloon.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• hot air balloon
• crash landing
• adventure
• waiver
• near death experience
• romantic getaway
• scary
• dangerous

[MrFathalpert]

oh no you had to weigh the balloon down. i work on a hot air balloon crew, its the procedure for every landing, not just a crash landing, and the cost of the balloon is a lot more than a few scrapes from thorns. dont ride something like this if you cant handle consequences.

[familyruncorn]

@MrFathalpert

Thank you for your advice. So I'm sure you'll approve of the fact that I haven't ever done it again. Have a pleasant day!

[FreeFlyingRachel]

This isn't a crash.

I'm a student pilot who has been around balloons since i was eight years old.

This is a quick landing, probably chosen because the pilot was running low on fuel, heading into a red zone, or knew there were no landing spots beyond that.

And I sincerely doubt there's a scar on your chest.

You signed a waiver for a reason. This was an unusual landing, but not a crash.

[familyruncorn]

@FreeFlyingRachel

Quick landing yes. We did in fact crash into the trees though. Opinions opinions.

Of course I signed the waiver- that's why I held no animosity against the balloon company. That's why I didn't take any legal action against the company. (even though believe it or not, I was approached by a lawyer through youtube) I realize that it was an 'at-your-own-risk' activity. And yes, here is a small scar there. I treasure it like any other scar of adventure.

[mouse743]

FAKE

Only sad people with empty lives try spend hours editing footage to make it seem more dramatic. Who are you trying to impress? The denizens of youtube? Pathetic.

[familyruncorn]

@mouse743

Not trying to impress anyone. I'm not sad at all. And I don't feel my life is empty. Thank you for defining it for me though. Now I understand the definition of a sad empty life: Army Veteran, Married 18+ years, 5 great kids (1 adopted), take road trips every summer, have a B.A. from an accredited university, working on a Master's Degree...I'm very thankful for my "sad...empty life". Be thankful that you are not me! Enjoy your life and have a great day!! :-)

[lharrod]

You know what they say, when life gives you lemons...

[familyruncorn]

@Balloonatic84 Was it smooth? Did we crash into the lemon trees? Just because we didn't die or slam into the ground doesn't mean it wasn't a crash. Webster defines crash as this: to fall, land, or hit with destructive force. So I don't need to justify anything. A fact is a fact. The force was destructive enough to break apart numerous branches, damage the basket, cut me up, ripped my shirt, left a scar on my chest. I don't know, maybe I'm completely crazy for using a term like "crash".

[familyruncorn]

@vossboss11

I was joking about the shirt being my favorite. It was just a T-shirt. My mother passed away in 1989. My wife did kiss my boo-boo. Thank you for your concern.

[vossboss11]

Would you have worn your favorite shirt if you were white water rafting? Mountain climbing? Ballooning is fairly safe but it IS an extreme sport.

I hope you got your mother to kiss your scratch for you.

[GhastlyCretin85]

Always seemed like a dangerous recreation to me. Ridiculous really, so much can go wrong. These people are lucky not to have hit power lines.

[familyruncorn]

@denismoloney27 It was the end of the ride. We missed the first landing spot...then the second...then the third...we were almost to the ocean and he had to land us, so he felt like he had no choice but to land in a lemon orchard.