In 2022, the BEA published five reports concerning balloon accidents, three of these occurring during commercial flights with passengers.

Injuries to passengers during landing

Three passengers suffered lower limb injuries during hard landings or basket tip-overs.

As was pointed out in the review of the 2021 balloon reports, passengers "may not be aware that the landing can sometimes be dynamic. 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.” The risk is even greater when a passenger's physical condition is conducive to injury. One example is the accident to F-HPAC on 21 August 2019 at Onzain in which an 81-year-old passenger was injured. The report states that it is possible that this passenger did not have the physical strength to maintain the safety position. Given her age, her musculoskeletal characteristics probably contributed to the bone injuries/fractures she sustained during the landing. The same can be said for the accident to F-HAOK on 31 August 2021 at Saint-Germain-Laval. The 90-year-old injured passenger suffered from osteoporosis. Both accidents occurred during commercial flights.

Another occurrence in which a passenger was injured during landing was the:

• Accident to F-HASV on 29 July 2021 at Saint-Privat-la-Montagne: bounce, basket upset during landing, during an air show.

Safety position during landing

In order to limit the risk of injury during landing, passengers must adopt a safety position. This is described in a safety instructions booklet published by the DSAC (French civil aviation safety directorate) in collaboration with the Fédération Française d'Aérostation (FFAé). It is recommended in this booklet that the passenger keeps their knees bent, hands on the handles, back pressed against the basket wall and turned to the direction of landing.

Illustration from the safety instructions published by the DSAC

Depending on the configuration of the basket, it is not always possible to adopt this position. This is particularly the case for undivided baskets. The booklet recommends that the passenger turns their back to the direction of landing if there is enough room, otherwise to position themselves sideways, facing the direction of travel.

Illustration from the safety instructions published by the DSAC

The report into the accident to F-HASV mentions that "When asked about the positioning of passengers in preparation for landing in the case of a non-partitioned basket, an FFAé representative stated that the build of the basket’s occupants is an additional factor. The space allocated to passengers may be relatively small and may not allow everyone to adopt the ideal recommended position. The positioning is the result of a compromise between the available space and the necessary protection of the pilot.”

In the accident to F-HAOK, it was also not possible for all passengers to adopt the ideal recommended position. This may have contributed to the passenger's injury.

Diagram of the basket configuration during the accident flight of F-HAOK on 31 August 2021.

Knowledge of regulatory requirements for commercial passenger flights

The regulatory requirements for the operation of a hot-air balloon are described in Regulation (EU) 2018/395. Annex II of this regulation, concerning air operations, is divided into two subparts named ''BAS'' (BASic operational requirements) and ''ADD'' (ADDitional requirements for commercial operations). Subpart ADD applies in addition to subpart BAS for operators conducting commercial operations. Commercial balloon operators subject to subpart ADD must declare their activity to the locally competent DSAC and produce an Operations Manual.

In the accidents to F-HGMV and F-HAOK, the operators indicated that they were not aware that they had to comply with the requirements of subpart ADD and declare their activity to the DSAC. These passenger flights therefore did not meet the requirements for commercial air transport.

In particular, in the report concerning F-HAOK, it was specified that the pilot failing to update the weather forecast on the morning of the accident flight and the lack of flight preparation procedures in the operator's Operations Manual may have contributed to the accident. The pilot of F-HGMV, whose Class 2 medical certificate was no longer valid, was over the age limit to act as a pilot of a balloon operated for commercial air transport. The pilot's age-related physical limitations probably contributed to the accident. In addition, the pilot did not have a commercial operation rating.

Other report published

• Accident to F-HBBQ on 26 September 2021 at Chambley: tethered flight take-off in solo instruction, fall of instructor hanging from the guide rope. Due to adverse weather conditions, the initially planned free flight could not be carried out and was replaced at the last moment by a tethered flight. The investigation showed that insufficient preparation of the flight and a lack of coordination between the crew members contributed to the accident. The report states that "it is important to bear in mind that last-minute changes of plan, even for a flight that may seem simpler, involve risk factors that need to be taken into account and analysed