The National Transportation Safety Board is releasing a report on the fatal crash of an experimental helium balloon in Franklin County.
The crash on November 16th, 2007, took the life of the pilot, Thomas Boyland of Fort Collins, Colorado, and a passenger on board the balloon, Bradley Brookhart of Littleton, Colorado.
Another passenger, Douglas Champlin of Albuquerque, New Mexico, survived the crash. The report blamed the crash on the pilot’s inadequate in flight planning causing the balloon to collide with the power lines near Hampton.
The three men were experienced hot air balloon pilots. They left Greeley, Colorado, on November 14th of last year and crashed their balloon a few days later.