What happened
On 13 July 2019, an Ultramagic N-250 balloon, registration G-CDST, was conducting a commercial passenger flight when it landed in a field northeast of Crowle, north Lincolnshire. The flight, carrying one crew member and eight passengers, had been underway for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.
During the approach, the pilot identified a grassy field with good access but noted the presence of power lines at the field's edges. To avoid trees, the pilot executed a steep approach. Upon touchdown, the basket bounced and dragged across the terrain before the envelope came to rest against a line of trees. Due to strong surface winds gusting up to 15 kt, the crew and passengers were unable to pull the envelope away from the trees, necessitating a deflation process that left the bottom half of the envelope draped over the branches. This resulted in minor tears to the envelope.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the pilot's decision-making and the aircraft's performance. The pilot reported feeling significant pressure to land due to several concurrent factors, including the duration of the flight, fuel levels, rising ambient temperatures, and the knowledge of more difficult landing areas further ahead.
Additionally, the investigation looked into the pilot's focus during the final stages of the flight. The pilot noted that searching for power lines at the edges of the field may have distracted him from assessing the adequacy of the landing site. The investigation also considered the pilot's experience with this specific aircraft, noting that while experienced, the pilot had relatively little time flying this larger Group B balloon compared to previous models.
Findings
- The pilot selected a landing site that lacked sufficient length to allow the balloon to come to a complete stop.
- The insufficient stopping distance was caused by the balloon's speed and the presence of 1,100 lb of spare lift.
- The pilot's attention was divided by the need to identify power lines during the approach.
- Environmental pressures, including fuel status and temperature increases, influenced the decision to land.
- The pilot's relative inexperience with the larger dimensions of this specific aircraft may have contributed to the misjudgment of the required landing area.