Hot Air Balloon Gets Tangled in Power Lines;
Some Areas Lose Power

Update: 7 Sept.2016--Clyde Police Chief Bruce Gower said there will be no charges from Clyde Police,but the Federal Aviation Administration may investigate the crash.


CLYDE, Ohio – A hot air balloon hit power lines after taking off from Limerick Park, on Monday evening. The mishap knocked out electricity and some traffic lights in Clyde for few hours, according to a report from the Clyde Police Department. The pilot, Chad Laughlin, 44, and a passenger, Sarenne Gregg, 39, aboard the balloon were not injured.

Screenshot by author from Bill Chesnutte's video
Screenshot by author from Bill Chesnutte’s video

The incident occurred when Laughlin decided to descend as he could not gain altitude. While the gondola landed on the ground, the envelope was pushed into the power lines by a wind gust and got tangled around the wires, said Clyde Fire Chief Craig Davis.

The pilot and passenger waited in the balloon basket for about 45 minutes until first responders verified from Clyde Light & Power that the electric lines were not live. Then, the electrical company pulled the balloon out of the power lines using a bucket truck.

Screenshot by author from Bill Chesnutte's video
Screenshot by author from Bill Chesnutte’s video

The incident happened around 6:47 p.m. and power was restored around 9:30 p.m., according to Clyde Police.Several rescue personnel from various departments responded. They included nineteen firefighters, two EMS squads, Clyde Police Department and Clyde Light & Power.After the incident, Laughlin told The News-Messenger that he got his balloon pilot’s license on November 9.

One thought on “Hot Air Balloon Gets Tangled in Power Lines;
Some Areas Lose Power

  1. Thanks for making the effort to have a discussion about this issue.I feel passionately about it and I like learning about this subject.If possible, as you gain knowledge, please revise this blog with brand new infmroation.I have found it extremely informative.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.