BRADFORD, Vt. — One person was killed when a hot air balloon crashed in Vermont, authorities said.
VSP provides update on hot-air-balloon incident in Bradford. https://t.co/zwQqah8rhk
— Vermont State Police (@VTStatePolice) July 16, 2021
According to WCAX and WPTV, the incident occurred late Thursday afternoon after a pilot and four passengers departed from Post Mills Airport. At one point, the balloon started to descend and touched down in a field in Bradford, Vermont State Police said in a news release early Friday.
“When contact was made with the ground, the basket tipped, and a passenger fell out,” the release said. “During this sequence, the pilot became entangled in gear affixed to the balloon as it re-ascended and ended up entrapped underneath the basket, where he eventually fell to the ground from a height. The pilot landed in a field off Waits River Road and was pronounced dead on scene.”
Afterward, the balloon flew about 1 1/2 miles north before it became stuck in some trees in Piermont, New Hampshire, the release said. The three remaining passengers then safely exited the balloon, authorities said.
None of the four passengers suffered any injuries, according to the release.
Police have not yet released the name of the pilot. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are expected to lead the investigation, police said.
©2021 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
