Hot air balloon makes landing in Lakebottom Park. Here’s how it got there
Editor’s Note: The headline of this story has been updated to more accurately reflect the balloon’s trip and landing.
The pilot’s sweatshirt pretty much summed up the flight: “Stay Calm...Go Ballooning.”
Pilot Gary Brossett and co-pilot Dorinda Morpeth, both of Columbus, were forced to make an unscheduled landing in Columbus’ Lakebottom park Thursday after winds pushed their hot air balloon, named “Kalos,” off course.
“We took off just west of Crawford, Alabama intending to go to a farm just outside of Phenix City, halfway between Ladonia and Phenix City, but the winds didn’t cooperate,” Brossett said.
Morpeth said they were on course the majority of the flight but shifting winds kept moving them off different landing sites.
“We just kept moving forward, targeting different areas until we crossed the river,” Morpeth said. “ We knew our options were becoming fewer.”
Brossett said that’s when Morpeth suggested Lakebottom Park as a landing spot. He said they’ve launched from Lakebottom before and felt it was a good spot.
“We had our crew waiting for us, dropped the drop line, and they held us in place and we went ahead and landed here,” Morpeth said, adding the landing was very safe and under control.
Brossett said their landing didn’t create much of a stir.
“There were quite a few walkers and joggers going around the track field here and the soccer field and most of them just looked up, smiled, and then went about their walk,” he said.
Brossett said their approach and landing was uneventful, with no reason for concern.
“We’ve landed and taken off down here at Lakebottom Park before,” Brossett said. “ There’s plenty of room for the balloon. We only need a spot that’s really 60 feet wide, like someone’s front yard.”
This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 3:16 PM.
