I think what captivated my attention to this horrific accident, was the fact that such a joyous adventure could end so tragically, and that it could happen to any of us, quickly, and horribly.  It is also amazing, the quantity and quality of media available from multiple, personal sources.  Twitter.  The Instagram photos from Ginny Doyle, showing herself, her friend Natalie Lewis, and Capt. Daniel Kirk, the day of the accident, actually in the balloon.  A notation that morning fog postponed their flight until that afternoon.  Wouldn’t most of us think, “What if?” [Instagram photos have been removed.]

I was impressed with Capt. Kirk’s professionalism in the above video.  But, as I watched, I tried to think what I might have thought and felt during that time of crisis.   And, you see in this video the balloon both from the chase vehicle, and from inside the gondola.  You see power lines and this balloon.  You see the ground from about the distance that they would have been when the flames began to increase.  And, the gondola is so small.

We all hope that there is never a situation that we cannot have at least one good alternative, but that was not the case here.

NTSB will do their investigation, but I’m not sure that anything other than “pilot error” will be the outcome.  Two other balloons had successfully landed just prior.  A seasoned pilot allows his craft to drift into power lines.  Visibility?  Time of day?  Did he just not see the power line until it was too late.

Fire erupts, and then professional damage control.

When you see the flames engulfing the gondola, NTSB might move toward more fire retardant structures.  Something that might be both flame retardant, and provide electrical insulation.

I’m not sure what finding the balloon, the gondola, or any other remains of the machine might do toward the investigation.  Sure something exploded, but that wasn’t the actual cause of the accident.

Third Body Found from Va. Hot Air Balloon Crash article has good news video regarding those involved.

ADDENDUM [05/28/21]: I was on vacation, coming back through Virginia, in 2014, when I heard about the balloon accident on TV from my motel room. I’m not sure what sequence my online interest took, but I was amazed at how “up close and personal” I was able to get. I found Capt. Kirk’s training video which gave me insights into his professionalism and the video showed me what it actually looked like while riding in his balloon’s gondola. I found several photos, posted on Instagram, by the two women coaches and realized that these were from the morning of the day they died. There was even explanation, which said that due to fog that morning, their balloon flight had been delayed until the afternoon. One news article quoted witnesses as having heard a woman’s voice crying out from the gondola. And, you see that the gondola caught fire as it was being guided by it’s pilot toward the ground… and the hot air from the fire causing the balloon to rise higher instead of landing thus sealing their fate.

A few years after this, WRAL became a sponsor for a new balloon event in the Raleigh area. I remember thinking that this was probably some of the balloonists looking for a replacement venue. As I recall, the first two (and maybe only two) years, the weather became a deciding factor (windy, rainy) in limiting attendance to the new event and eventually it was discontinued.

I see there is a new “balloon” event, First Fruits Farm Memorial Balloon Festival, up in Louisburg, NC “The festival will include hot air balloon rides, chainsaw wood carving, a food truck rodeo, carnival rides, a Frisbee disc dog show, nightly fireworks and a beer garden. An All Veterans Group Parachute Team and The Bandit Flight Team will also be making appearances.” Well, if something as innocent as a hot air balloon ride could go so wrong, then what havoc might be wreaked by a wayward chainsaw, ptomaine from a series of food trucks, an unsafe carnival ride, dog attacks, deaths due to fireworks and drunks driving home from the beer garden;-).

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I ate at a buffet restaurant, Country Cookin located here.

I don’t recall the name of the “cheap” motel I stayed at in Fredricksburg, VA, but here is the approximate location in Google Maps. I believe that the motel buildings have been torn down, but they were probably next to where the current Super 8 Motel is located. I think there were two separate buildings, and I stayed in the rear one, probably near the left side facing the Mall. But, I don’t think you could see the Mall.