LONGVIEW, Texas — Talk about a deflating experience.
A hot air balloon wildly crashed into a parked white sedan Thursday morning just moments after liftoff in a crowded East Texas parking lot, sending bystanders scrambling and one would-be rider scrambling to cancel her booking on the spot.
Shocking cellphone video captured the heart-stopping moment as the massive yellow-and-red checkered balloon, still tethered to its basket, lurched uncontrollably low over the asphalt. It slammed directly into the side of the unsuspecting vehicle before wobbling skyward again, leaving two people trapped inside the basket as ground crew rushed to help."I was shocked. I thought, 'There's no way I just saw this happen.' It's like something I would see on social media!" the woman filming the mayhem said, according to the viral clip.
She and her son had been seconds away from hopping aboard for what was supposed to be a scenic sunrise adventure. Not anymore.
"Plans immediately canceled!" she declared as the balloon finally drifted higher, still looking dangerously unsteady.
The bizarre smash-up unfolded around 8:15 a.m. in Longview, stunning witnesses who couldn't believe their eyes as the out-of-control aircraft played demolition derby with the family car.
Crews worked frantically to free the passengers from the basket after the collision. No serious injuries were immediately reported, but the white sedan took a direct hit to its roof and side.
Hot air balloon rides have surged in popularity, but this footage is a stark reminder that Mother Nature and pilot error can turn a dreamy float into a nightmare in seconds.
Social media users were equal parts horrified and hysterical, with one cracking, "Hello, Farmers Insurance? My car just got hit by a big balloon basket."
Others questioned launching from a parking lot altogether on a gusty day: "What an absolutely idiotic place to fill and launch a balloon."
The balloon eventually cleared the area, but the mom's dreams of a memorable mother-son outing went down in flames, or rather, hot air.
