What happened
On July 20, 2003, a commercial hot air balloon flight departed from Steinhagen carrying nine occupants. Approximately 20 to 25 minutes into the flight, the Schröder/Fire G balloon encountered rapidly increasing wind speeds and heavy turbulence. The pilot attempted to land near the Teutoburger Wald, but due to unsuitable terrain, the flight continued toward Preuß and ended approximately 36 km from the departure point.
As the aircraft approached Preußisch Oldendorf, a cold front with convective activity moved through the area, significantly increasing ground winds to gusts of 20–30 knots. At approximately 20:05, the pilot performed a landing in a cornfield, using a drag rope for 80 meters to bring the basket to a halt. During this maneuver, the pilot instructed a passenger to pull on a control line; however, the passenger fell from the basket during the landing process. The incident resulted in one person seriously injured and two people lightly injured.
The investigation
The BFU investigation focused on the meteorological conditions and the pilot's flight preparation. While the pilot received weather information via a telephone service, this specific communication was not recorded. The investigation found that comprehensive weather data, including an airfield weather warning issued at 16:00 and detailed forecasts indicating potential thunderstorms, were available through other official channels.
Additionally, the investigation examined the pilot's credentials. While the pilot held a valid license for the aircraft type, the investigation noted that under new regulations effective May 1, 2003, the pilot was no longer authorized to conduct commercial passenger flights due to being over the age of 65.
Findings
- The pilot failed to properly assess the approaching weather system, ignoring visible signs of deteriorating conditions at the launch site.
- The flight was initiated despite the availability of information indicating that weather conditions would exceed safe operating limits.
- The pilot's decision to have a passenger manage a control line during landing contributed to the passenger falling from the basket.
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's misjudgment of the weather development, which led the balloon into extreme meteorological conditions beyond its safe operating envelope.