What happened
On July 1, 2012, a commercial hot air balloon flight operated by Baló Tour, S.L. was conducting a sightseeing excursion near Vic, Barcelona. The aircraft, an Ultramagic N-250 with registration EC-JKX, departed at 08:30 h under favorable weather conditions. The flight initially proceeded without incident, with light, variable winds.
Approximately 40 minutes into the flight, the crew and passengers noted a significant increase in wind intensity. In response to the deteriorating conditions, the pilot initiated a precautionary landing. As the balloon approached the ground, the horizontal and vertical descent rates increased sharply. The aircraft made a hard impact with the terrain and dragged for approximately 40 meters before coming to a stop.
During the impact and subsequent drag, one passenger was unable to maintain their grip on the basket's internal handles. This individual was thrown against a companion, causing the companion to suffer serious injuries, including bone fractures to the arm and leg. The passenger who lost their grip was eventually ejected from the basket and rolled along the ground, sustaining minor injuries.