What happened
On August 20, 2015, a Schroeder G 30/24 hot air balloon, registration SP-BDS, was conducting a private flight near Chrcynno, Poland. The flight, commanded by a pilot with approximately 400 flight hours, departed from Gąsiorowo at 18:38 LMT carrying three passengers. The balloon was traveling westward at an altitude of approximately 200 meters, with wind speeds ranging from 2 to 5 m/s.
During the landing approach at approximately 19:25, the pilot identified low-voltage power lines directly in the flight path. Due to the proximity of the wires, a collision with the basket could not be avoided. The pilot immediately deployed the parachute vent to descend rapidly. While the basket successfully touched down before the obstacle, the balloon envelope drifted over the electrical lines, resulting in contact.
The investigation
The investigation examined the environmental conditions and the pilot's visual perception during the final stages of the flight. Investigators analyzed the visibility conditions at the time of the incident and the pilot's use of protective equipment.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was insufficient scanning of the terrain during the landing approach.
- Visibility in the direction of flight was significantly degraded by the low position of the sun and airborne dust kicked up by agricultural machinery.
- The pilot was not wearing sunglasses, which further hindered the ability to maintain clear vision while flying toward the sun.