What happened
On 7 July 2019, a commercial sightseeing flight departed from a field near Puimoisson, France, carrying a pilot and six passengers. The flight, operated by B2O Passager du Vent, initially proceeded under favorable conditions, following the Riez valley. However, as the flight progressed, the balloon was caught in a changing weather pattern. While the pilot initially believed the weather system was stationary, the balloon was eventually carried in a northeasterly direction by increasing winds.
As the aircraft approached a dark, ominous cloud mass, the pilot identified the need for an emergency landing to avoid approaching storm activity. Due to the high speed of the balloon and the presence of power lines and obstacles in the surrounding fields, the pilot struggled to find a suitable landing site. The pilot eventually identified a cultivated field and performed a high-speed landing.
Upon impact, the KUBICEK BB45Z basket struck the ground forcefully, bounced, and rotated 180 degrees before a second, even harder impact occurred. The basket was dragged approximately 30 meters through tall grass. The landing resulted in three injuries, including one passenger severely injured with multiple fractures to the leg and ribs.