What happened
On 25 October 2024, a commercial hot air balloon flight, operating a Lindstrand LTL series 1 180 with registration SP-BIB, departed from a field approximately 12 km east of Zawiercie at 15:50 LMT. After roughly one hour of flight, the balloon landed on a flat field near the village of Gołuchowice.
Following the touchdown, a passenger reported pain in her arm. The ground crew immediately transported the individual to a hospital, where medical professionals diagnosed her with a fracture of the arm bone. There were no injuries to the crew and no damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation (PKBWL) conducted an inquiry involving the collection of data regarding the flight, the aircraft, the pilot, and the operator. The investigation examined the circumstances of the landing and the subsequent medical outcome.
Findings
While the specific mechanical or aerodynamic cause of the injury was not detailed in the preliminary report, the operator conducted a post-accident risk analysis. As a result of this review, the operator implemented a change to its Operations Manual concerning special category passengers. Specifically, passengers aged over 80 years are now only permitted to fly if the forecast wind speed does not exceed 2 m/s.