What happened
On the morning of 9 July 2021, a Kavanagh Balloons E-260, registration ZK-FBK, was conducting a scenic flight over the Wakatipu Basin with a pilot and 10 passengers. During the descent toward the Kawarau Gorge, the pilot attempted two separate landings but aborted both due to safety concerns regarding wind and passenger health.
As the flight continued, wind speeds increased. During the final approach, the pilot activated the rapid deflation system to facilitate a landing in a paddock. However, the basket struck the edge of a gully during the descent. The force of the impact caused the pilot and two passengers to be thrown from the basket, sustaining serious injuries. The basket then bounced and slid 150 metres before coming to a stop. The remaining eight passengers in the basket escaped with either no injuries or minor injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight sequence, weather conditions, and the physical state of the aircraft and crew. The investigation established that the pilot had identified several landing sites but rejected them due to rising winds and a passenger feeling unwell.
Technical analysis focused on the pilot's actions and the passengers' preparation. It was noted that the pilot was standing and manipulating control ropes at the moment of impact, rather than being in a secured position. Furthermore, while the aircraft was equipped with a restraint harness, the pilot was not wearing it. The investigation also looked into the passenger bracing, finding that the two individuals ejected were not in the required crouched position and were not holding the rope handles.
Findings
- The primary cause of the ejection was the basket striking the lip of a gully during a high-speed landing.
- The pilot was vulnerable to being thrown from the basket because they were standing to manage controls and were not wearing the available restraint harness.
- The two ejected passengers were not properly braced for landing, as they were not in the correct crouched position and were not holding onto the basket's rope handles.
- Increasing wind speeds and the rejection of earlier landing sites reduced the available safe landing options.