What happened
On May 14, 2012, a Lindstrand 310A hot air balloon, registration F-GXFX, was conducting a recreational passenger flight near Agnez-Lès-Duisans, France. The flight, operated by Magic Balloons SARL, departed from Lucheux with 13 people on board.
During the landing phase, the pilot attempted to land in an uncultivated field approximately 500 meters in length. Upon contact with the ground, the basket bounced three times. During the final bounce, the basket tipped over and slid for approximately 8 meters before coming to a complete stop. During this sequence, one passenger sustained a fractured sternum after striking the padded outer rim of the basket.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's actions and the positioning of the passengers. The pilot, who held an air transport certificate, noted that onboard GPS data indicated a wind component of 14 km/h (7.5 kt). Anticipating that the basket would tip during the landing, the pilot had instructed most passengers to face inward, hold the safety handles, and remain flexible at the knees.
However, the pilot specifically instructed the injured passenger to face outward, with her abdomen against the padded outer rim. This instruction was given to prevent her from being struck by a larger passenger during the impact. The investigation also reviewed the Cépaduès hot air balloon pilot manual, which recommends that passengers maintain their backs against the basket, facing the direction of the flight path, with knees bent and limbs kept inside the basket.
Findings
- The primary cause of the injury was the inappropriate positioning of the passenger during the landing sequence.