What happened
On May 2, 2017, during the 18th International Mountain Ballooning Competition, a Balon Sport 1700 hot air balloon was involved in an incident at Krosno (EPKR). The pilot, who had 1,000 flight hours, was attempting to navigate toward a specific target point. In an effort to improve the competition score, the pilot attempted to descend by releasing hot air from the envelope. This action caused the balloon to descend much more rapidly than intended.
As the balloon dropped toward the target, the basket struck the roof of a sports hall. Although the impact was significant enough to be classified as an incident, the pilot did not sustain any injuries.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the Aeroklub Podkarpacki, established that the pilot had approached the target point at too high an altitude. To correct the flight path and hit the marker, the pilot intentionally cooled the balloon. The investigation focused on the sequence of altitude control and the timing of the pilot's corrective actions during the descent.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the overcooling of the balloon through the release of hot air.
- The descent toward the judge's designated target was too rapid.
- The pilot's use of the burner to counteract the descent and prevent contact with the obstacle was delayed.