Member of prominent Calif. family killed, wife and daughters injured.

ByLAMA HASANAugust 7, 2013, 12:43 AM

Aug. 7, 2013 — -- Police in Switzerland are investigating why a hot air balloon carrying members of Malibu, Calif.'s founding family slammed into a power line before plummeting 13 stories to the ground, killing one and injuring three others.

Grant Adamson, 55, died in the crash after he, wife Terry and their two daughters, Megan and Lauren, took off for a sightseeing trip early Tuesday in Château-d'Œx, an area known as the ballooning capitol of the world.

Helping to develop the wealthy seaside enclave of Malibu in the 1960s. Founding-family scion Grant Adamson was also on the advisory board at Pepperdine University in Malibu, where his wife is a law professor and Megan and Lauren were students.

"Students love [Terry], other faculty members adore her, and Grant was always there humble, kind, friendly. Just a loving couple and family," Pepperdine law profeessor Shelley Saxer told ABC News"

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The family had chartered the balloon for a day, according to the Grand Hotel, and the skies were clear. The balloon is run from the hotel although operated by a separate company. The family had been flying for two hours prior to the crash.

The 65-year-old pilot of the balloon was also injured in the accident and taken to the hospital by ambulance.

"We are doing all we can to support and assist the rescue crew and the investigators who are currently trying to determine the exact circumstances under which the accident took place," the hotel said in a statement.

Megan, 20, and Lauren Adamson, 24, had surgery Tuesday and were expected to be fine, while Terry Adamson remained in the ICU with several internal injuries,