Balloon pilot who killed 16 in Texas was on drugs, had many DWIs

The pilot of a hot-air balloon that crashed last summer in Texas, killing himself and 15 sight-seeing passengers, had taken a cocktail of prohibited drugs before liftoff including the opiate pain-killer oxycodone.

By Alan Levin | Updated on December 09, 2016

(Bloomberg) – The pilot of a hot-air balloon that crashed last summer in Texas, killing himself and 15 sight-seeing passengers, had taken a cocktail of prohibited drugs before liftoff including the opiate pain-killer oxycodone, according to government documents.

Alfred “Skip” Nichols was able to continue flying people for hire in spite of being convicted five times for driving while intoxicated and three times for drug offenses. The incident revealed lax regulations on balloon operators and a regulatory loophole that made it difficult to take enforcement action against him, according to documents prepared for a National Transportation Safety Board hearing.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free
PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader.

INCLUDED IN A DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP:

All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.

Already have an account? Sign In Now

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Dig Deeper

Recommended Stories

Survey blames class action spike in-part on surge in 'employee activism'

Trudy Knockless | April 11, 2024

Labor and employment class actions accounted for 43.4% of legal departments' class action matters in 2023 – an increase of nearly 10 percentage points from a year earlier.

Employees embrace AI efficiencies, look past cybersecurity concerns

Joel Kranc | April 16, 2024

A new study underscores the idea that many workers continue to use unsecure personal devices for their jobs.

Flash flooding, tornadoes rock Gulf Coast states

Brittney Meredith-Miller | April 12, 2024

High winds from these storms reportedly cut power to more than 250,000 customers across the south on Wednesday.

Resource Center

This guide empowers insurance carriers and risk managers to navigate complex regulations, safeguarding their brands from costly SMS and text messaging penalties.

Guide

Sponsored by gryphon.ai

The Ultimate Guide to SMS/Text Messaging Compliance

This guide empowers insurance carriers and risk managers to navigate complex regulations, safeguarding their brands from costly SMS and text messaging penalties.

Browse More Resources ›

Navigating the complexities of P&C core insurance digitization is no easy task. Explore the critical decisions between building or buying and how to achieve operational excellence in this white paper.

White Paper

Sponsored by Origami Risk

Build or Buy? Considering the Critical Decisions in P&C Core Insurance Cloud Digitization Projects

Navigating the complexities of P&C core insurance digitization is no easy task. Explore the critical decisions between building or buying and how to achieve operational excellence in this white paper.

Browse More Resources ›

As more customers “unbundle” their insurance products and spread their business among many carriers, agents must look for creative strategies to retain and grow business. Download this white paper to learn top strategies to ensure success in 2024.

White Paper

Sponsored by Melissa

Clean Your Data to Win the Customer Retention War

As more customers “unbundle” their insurance products and spread their business among many carriers, agents must look for creative strategies to retain and grow business. Download this white paper to learn top strategies to ensure success in 2024.

Browse More Resources ›

PropertyCasualty360

Don’t miss crucial news and insights you need to make informed decisions for your P&C insurance business. Join PropertyCasualty360.com now!

Unlimited access to PropertyCasualty360.com - your roadmap to thriving in a disrupted environment
Access to other award-winning ALM websites including BenefitsPRO.com, ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
Exclusive discounts on PropertyCasualty360, National Underwriter, Claims and ALM events

Already have an account? Sign In Now

Copyright © 2024 ALM Global, LLC. All Rights Reserved.