Balloons - 2024
In 2024, the BEA published seven reports concerning hot-air balloon accidents and incidents. Two of these reports are solely based on the pilot’s statement. Four of these events occurred during commercial passenger flights and three during a balloon festival. In total, four pilots and ten passengers were injured, six of them seriously.
Position of F-HNIJ after the accident (Source: BGTA)
1. Undesirable landing situations
All the occurrences published in 2024 took place during the landing phase, including two during a rejected landing. This is a reminder of the critical nature of this part of the flight, due in particular, to the inertia and the sensitivity of balloons to aerological conditions. Furthermore, as pointed out in the thematic reviews in previous years, the landing can sometimes be quite dynamic and passengers are not always aware of this. Touchdown can prove rough, in particular when there is a strong wind or during an emergency descent with a high vertical speed. In these conditions, passengers may be surprised and their physical capabilities may be exceeded.
In three accidents, the pilots had identified adverse weather conditions at the end of the flight, forcing them to descend quickly or limiting their choice of landing sites:
during the accident to G-BXCO on 30 July 2023 at Augy, the pilot, faced with strengthening winds, carried out an emergency landing with a wind speed that he estimated at 25 kt;
during the accident to F-HRLY on 2 March 2024 at Sallanches, the pilot, faced with strengthening winds, decided to land before a town that he did not want to fly over. The presence of obstacles at the end of the field chosen for the landing obliged the pilot to increase the balloon’s rate of descent and to use the rapid deflation system at a height above that recommended in the operating manual.
during the accident to F-GMGE on 24 July 2023 at Villecey-sur-Mad, the pilot carried out a hurried landing as the strengthening wind was carrying the balloon to an area unfavourable for landing. After descending with a high vertical speed, the basket bounced. One passenger, who had been anxious during this flight, jumped out of the basket, destabilizing the balance of the balloon and the pilot’s manoeuvre. Another passenger hit his nose on the side of the basket. He probably let go of the handholds to touch his face and was ejected from the basket which then flew over him. This was just one of the occurrences that took place during the balloon festival (see following section).
For the accident to F-HNIJ on 25 June 2023 at Valensole, the pilot did not sufficiently adapt to the actual weather conditions encountered, which differed significantly from those estimated. As a result, he flew in an area which he did not know well, which prevented him from anticipating and comprehending the local difficulties and constraints in the valley. He continued the flight until the propane in the standby cylinder ran out. During the forced landing, the basket struck a power line, causing an electric arc. The passengers were burnt by incandescent pieces of the envelope that fell into the basket.
Two other collisions with a power line occurred during a rejected landing:
During the serious incident to F-HVIO on 30 April 2024 at Rosiers-sur-Loire, the pilot rejected the landing as he was concerned that as the balloon envelope collapsed, a gust of wind would push it towards houses. He therefore planned to land just after the hamlet and only used two of the four burners to fly over the buildings at a low height. During the climb, at a height of around ten metres, the basket struck a power line that the pilot had not identified.
During the accident to F-HIII on 19 July 2023 at Longué-Jumelles, the pilot was late in identifying a power line during the landing. He immediately actioned the two burners but the basket severed three cables of the power line causing an electric arc. After landing, flames appeared in the pilot’s compartment. Two fire extinguishers were emptied to put out the fire.
These two occurrences show the difficulty for a balloon pilot to visually identify, at low height and on a shallow approach path, all of the obstacles that may interfere with the landing or its rejection and in particular, MV and LV power line cables which are not mentioned on all the maps and which have cables and poles which can merge into the environment and vegetation.
2. Balloon festival
There were three accidents on three different days at the same balloon festival. The meteorological conditions were globally unstable (wind, precipitation, unstable clouds with turbulence, even storms) with rare periods of calm. Nine displays were cancelled due to the weather conditions.
In the report on the accident to F-GMGE mentioned above, the difficulty for a flight director to decide to cancel an ascent is discussed, particularly when the weather conditions the pilots are likely to face are difficult to comprehend. Although the pilot-in-command is ultimately responsible for the decision to undertake the flight, the group effect, as well as the desire to satisfy passengers and spectators, intrinsic to this type of balloon festival, can influence this decision. Thus, some pilots, with varying levels of experience and skills, may expose themselves to conditions that are potentially beyond their proficiency and which could jeopardise the safety of the flight.
Other accidents during the balloon festival:
accident to G-BXCO previously mentioned: basket upset during an emergency landing in strong wind;
accident to PH-NBR on 29 July 2023 at Chambley-Bussières: bounced landing.
Reminder of themes from previous years
Management of aerological conditions
Passenger injuries
Injuries to passengers during landing
Safety position during landing
Knowledge of regulatory requirements for commercial passenger flights
Taking of risks and non-essential manoeuvres for the management of the flight
Collision with an obstacle during a landing
Injuries to passengers during landing
Injuries to passengers during landing
Collision with an obstacle during a landing
Blessures de passagers lors de l’atterrissage
Collision avec un obstacle lors de l’atterrissage