Lawrence Walters, forever known as Lawn Chair Larry, dreamed of flying since childhood but was disqualified as a pilot by his poor eyesight. On July 10, 1982, he tied 42 helium weather balloons to an ordinary Sears lawn chair in a San Pedro backyard, and when the tether snapped early, he shot to roughly 16,000 feet into the flight paths of LAX and Long Beach.

This episode traces the anatomy of a 20-year obsession, the terrifying physics of his 45-minute flight, and the complex, ultimately tragic aftermath of accidental fame. We follow his calm radio call for help, his pellet-gun descent, his power-line landing, the FAA's struggle to charge him, and his later years.

• How a childhood glimpse of weather balloons planted a dream that built pressure for two decades
• Why his hovering plan was physically flawed and how panic may h ...