Hot-air balloon collides with radio tower

[alittlelark]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/10/10/balloon.fiesta.ap/index.html

 
Hot-air balloon collides with radio tower

Pilot, two others forced to shimmy down 700-foot-tall structure

Sunday, October 10, 2004 Posted: 4:25 PM EDT (2025 GMT)




The balloon's canopy was designed to look like the face of Smokey the Bear.


ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AP) -- A balloon became entangled in a radio tower on the final day of the city's trademark balloon festival Sunday, forcing the pilot and two young passengers to shimmy most of the way down the nearly 700-foot-tall structure.

"All you can do is grit you teeth and hold on to your passengers and prepare them for the impact," he said.

The hot-air balloon's canopy got wrapped up around the triangular-shaped tower, leaving its gondola resting up against the structure. Chapel, 69, and passengers Aaron Whitacre, 10, and Troy Wells, 14, then began the long climb down the tower's ladder.





< I grew up in ABQ and know that these things happen every 3-4 years .... but a 600+ foot tower???? Uh, HELLO?>



KKOB-AM shut down its 50,000-watt transmitter and emergency crews gathered at the base of the tower, said Kathie Leyendecker, festival spokeswoman.

[burrowowl]

1. Smart and displined

pilot and crew with no help for 500+ feet. Hats off to them.
I wonder who got cut off out of all of KKOB's rightwing nuts offerings?

[Ron Green]

2. So true about KKOB....self-promoting, smarmy, arrogant and RW all the way!

[alittlelark]

3. NO SH*T My family in NM will never watch KKOB

why bother?

[burrowowl]

4. KOB is the TV station

KKOB is the radio station.
Both stink tought.

[Ron Green]

5. Is that guy Jim Villlanucci still on the afternoons?

He used to piss me off; claimed to be a middle-of-the-road regular guy, but over time showed himself to be a RW tool, IMO.

[burrowowl]

11. Yes he is

and even more obnoxious!

[AspenRose]

14. I don't understand why Richard Eads stays there

Is he a DINO? Or a glutton for punishment, between Jim and Larry Ahrens?

[AlCzervik]

6. I actually saw that happen, i was in NM over the weekend

and my friends house is right in the path of the balloons.

[KDLarsen]

7. Two good shots available here..

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/687585/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/687584/L/

Look at the first shot - I'd be scared shitless ifI had to get out of the basket at that altitude and then climb all the way down.

[daleo]

15. Yikes!

Those are some photos. I agree, it would be quite a predicament.

[dignan27]

8. Insert Rush joke here

[DS1]

9. Airbag knocks out Windbag, nobody injured

[CO Liberal]

10. What's The Difference Between Rush Limbaugh and The Hindenburg?

One is a flaming Nazi gasbag, and the other is a dirigible.

:-)


Source: http://www.oneposter.com/

[sofa king]

12. The terra-ists have struck again!

[AspenRose]

13. Not exactly a BAD thing to take KKOB off the air

ESPECIALLY since Hannity's on the air now.

Not a bad thing at all.

"Only YOU can prevent idiocy on the air!" -Smokey Bear

[KDLarsen]

16. I wonder..

.. when will someone push the idea that this was an act of sabotage by "Pilots for Kerry"?