Two people sustained injuries, including one from an electric shock, after a hot air balloon collided with overhead power cables during a landing attempt in Essex, an official report has revealed.
The Incident: A Landing Gone Wrong
The accident occurred on April 10 last year, just before 5pm, when a Cameron Z-275 hot air balloon carrying one pilot and ten passengers launched from Petersfield village in Gosfield, Essex. After a flight of approximately 40 minutes, the pilot, who had 332 hours of flying experience, identified a field near Earls Colne Airfield for landing.
According to the report released by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) on Thursday, the pilot was aware of one set of power cables along a road bordering the field. He successfully landed beyond them. However, he failed to spot a second set of low-level wires within the field itself.
"Only when the balloon basket had touched down did the pilot recognise there was a second set of wires in the field," the AAIB report stated. As the basket dragged along the ground, the balloon's envelope broke the cables.
Chaotic Evacuation and Electric Shock
The broken cables ignited grass near the balloon, and smoke began billowing from underneath the basket, prompting the pilot to order an immediate evacuation. Tragically, the fallen live cables had electrified parts of the basket structure.
One passenger received an electric shock while trying to get out, as he was still in contact with the basket when his feet touched the ground. Another passenger suffered an ankle injury while climbing from the basket.
The pilot gathered all passengers by the roadside, confirmed everyone was out, and with the help of a passing motorist, called emergency services. The fire service extinguished the blaze and the electrocuted passenger was rushed to hospital.
Injuries and Investigation Findings
The man who was electrocuted sustained minor burns, a sprained ankle, and later experienced chest pains. The other injured passenger was diagnosed with a secondary headache related to the crash.
The AAIB's report concluded the pilot did not see the cables during his approach and they were not shown on the maps he was using. It noted he "evacuated the passengers according to the Flight manual advice but did not have time to warn them of the risk of electric shock."
A spokesman for Virgin, the balloon's operator, said: "The pilot responded swiftly and with the utmost care, ordering a prompt disembarkation of the basket to ensure passenger safety."
