What happened
On 26 April 2010, a Cameron Z-375 hot air balloon, registration G-VBFN, was conducting a commercial passenger flight near Haslemere, Surrey. As the flight approached its conclusion at approximately 1840 UTC, the pilot was maneuvering the aircraft toward a chosen landing field during dusk.
During the landing phase, the pilot focused his attention on a specific set of cables to ensure a clear path for touchdown. While navigating this obstacle, the balloon's envelope encountered a second set of cables, believed to be 11 kV power lines, situated roughly 100 feet downwind. The envelope made contact with these lines but managed to slide off without causing any immediate structural failure or electrical discharge.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the circumstances of the contact and verified the status of the utility infrastructure. The utility company subsequently confirmed that the 11 kV cables sustained no damage during the encounter. There were no injuries to the one crew member or the 13 passengers on board, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
Findings
- The pilot's attention was focused on a single set of cables, which led to a failure to identify a second, adjacent set of lines in time to take evasive action.
- The primary cause was the pilot's lack of situational awareness regarding the proximity of the second set of cables during the landing maneuver.