Accident to the Cameron Z180 registered F-HIII operated by Montgolfières d’Anjou on 19/07/2023 at Longué-Jumelles

During the approach on a shallow approach slope (descent from a height of 45 m to 30 m in 2 min 30 s) to land in a field, the pilot saw and flew over a first MV power line. Before flying over another power line (LV) that he had identified at the beginning of the field, he detected the cables of a second MV power line, behind and higher than the LV power line. The pilot immediately made an input on the burners. However, the inertia of the balloon meant that it did not gain sufficient height to avoid contact between the bottom of the basket and the MV power line cables which ruptured. The pilot kept control of the flight path and landed a few metres after the power line. The pilot and passengers, unharmed, evacuated the basket.