Texas balloon struck power lines, examiners say

LOCKHART, Texas — Evidence shows some part of the hot-air balloon made contact with high-tension power lines before crashing into a central Texas pasture, killing all 16 on board, according to federal authorities who are investigating the worst such disaster in U.S. history.

The crash site was near a row of high-tension power lines, and aerial photos showed an area of scorched land underneath.

Caldwell County Sheriff Daniel Law and the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed the number of dead at 16, adding that the NTSB and medical professionals have said identification of the victims will be “a long process.”

A Federal Aviation Administration database said an Alfred G. Nichols of Chesterfield, Mo., was medically certified to fly in 1996 and was rated a commercial pilot of lighter-than-air balloons on July 14, 2010.

Missouri records also listed Nichols as the owner of Air Balloon Sports LLC, based from the same Chesterfield address as the FAA record.

Wendy Bartch, a former girlfriend of Nichols, told the Austin American-Statesman that he was “a good pilot and loved people,” was cautious about keeping passengers safe, and had been involved with hot-air balloons for about two decades.