What happened
On 5 October 2014, a Schroeder Fire Balloons G50/24 hot air balloon, registered F-HCCG, was conducting a commercial passenger flight near Cazes-Mondenard, France. During the flight, the aircraft encountered significant wind variations and turbulence, likely due to convective atmospheric conditions. To avoid further instability, the pilot decided to land.
As the balloon descended, the vertical speed increased significantly. During the final stages of the approach, a sudden change in wind direction caused the flight path to veer toward a maize field. The pilot attempted to orient the basket correctly and activated the rapid deflation system. The aircraft struck the ground with high force, causing the basket to rebound and subsequently tilt. A second impact caused the basket to turn completely upside down. During the evacuation process, a fire broke and spread rapidly through the wicker basket, resulting in one fatality and three serious injuries, while the remaining six passengers and the pilot sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The BEA investigation utilized onboard video footage from the basket and passenger recordings, alongside the pilot's statements, to reconstruct the sequence of events. Investigators examined the meteorological conditions, the aircraft's technical configuration, and the pilot's operational procedures. The inquiry also looked into the oversight practices of the civil aviation authority regarding commercial passenger ballooning (CPB) operators.
Findings
The accident was primarily caused by the failure to turn off the pilot lights before the first impact, which allowed the burners to ignite the basket during the overturn. This failure was likely due to the pilot's intense focus on managing the high rate of descent and the difficult landing orientation.
Contributing factors included:
- Inadequate consideration of meteorological conditions, which exposed the balloon to turbulence and wind variations.
- The practice of landing with pilot lights still active, which reduces the likelihood of an instinctive shutdown during an emergency.
- The use of an unauthorized "double-T" installation that may have limited heating power.
- Potential limitations in regulatory oversight regarding the detection of risky operational practices in commercial ballooning.