What happened
On September 12, 2010, a commercial hot air balloon flight departed from a launch site west of Braunschweig-Lehndorf. The crew consisted of a pilot and 13 passengers. During the flight, the pilot observed dark clouds and lightning approaching from the direction of Hannover. After receiving information from Braunschweig Info regarding heavy rain showers in the area, the pilot decided to land.
The Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons Ltd. / LBL 330A descended to approximately 150 meters above ground level and landed in a field at approximately 19:11. After touchdown, the pilot began deflating the burner hoses and extinguishing the pilot lights while waiting for the chase vehicle. However, a sudden increase in wind speed occurred. The wind caused the balloon envelope to act like a sail, dragging the basket across the ground for approximately 200 meters. During this uncontrolled movement, the basket collided with various obstacles, eventually striking a garage wall and causing the envelope to drape over a residential building, where it tore a chimney from a roof. The accident resulted in eight serious injuries and five minor injuries.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the meteorological conditions, the pilot's qualifications, and the operational management of the balloon company. Investigators analyzed GPS data, which confirmed the flight path and the timing of the wind gusts. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's credentials, noting that while the pilot held a British commercial balloon pilot license, he had exceeded the age limit for German operations and lacked the necessary recognition for his medical certificate and instructor ratings under German law. Furthermore, the investigation found that the pilot was not officially registered with the relevant aviation authority for this company, and his name had not been entered into the company's operations manual prior to the accident.
Technical inspections of the aircraft revealed that the burner components were poorly maintained, and the basket was found to be unairworthy. Additionally, the investigation discovered that the company had mistakenly swapped certain balloon components four days prior to the accident, leading to an incorrect lift calculation being used for the flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the balloon being caught by strong winds from a predicted weather front, which dragged the basket across the ground.
- The pilot's flight preparation was inadequate, as the weather information used was not suitable for the flight planning required.
- There was a failure to correctly interpret the developing weather situation during the flight.
- The pilot misjudged the weather conditions following the landing, failing to anticipate the impact of the incoming squall line.
- Significant organizational failures were present, including a lack of internal oversight due to the concentration of all management responsibilities in a single individual.