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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board is citing pilot error in a hot air balloon crash that killed three people in Virginia.
The crash occurred a year ago today ahead of a festival in Doswell, about 25 miles north of Richmond.
The accident killed the pilot, Daniel T. Kirk, and two athletic officials with the University of Richmond. They were associate women's basketball coach Ginny Doyle and director of basketball operations Natalie Lewis.
The NTSB issued a preliminary report the month of the crash indicating Kirk attempted to gain altitude before the balloon hit power lines and caught fire.
In a report issued Wednesday, the NTSB said the probable cause of the accident was "the pilot's inadequate approach and his failure to maintain clearance from power lines."
The findings were first reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
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