What happened
On the morning of March 21, 1998, a private Siga MA 26 hot air balloon, registered F-GPDR, was conducting a local flight near Piré-sur-Seiche. After approximately one hour of flight, the pilot attempted to land in a meadow at an altitude of about 50 meters. Due to the condition of the terrain, the pilot decided to seek an alternative landing site located behind a row of poplar trees.
As the balloon descended to a height of approximately 3 to 4 meters, the pilot identified electrical lines directly in the flight path. In an attempt to regain altitude, the pilot applied heat to the envelope. During this ascent, the balloon's envelope made contact with the wires, and a cable became snagged on the upper frame of the basket. The cable eventually snapped, allowing the balloon to continue climbing and land safely in a nearby field without further incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on why the electrical infrastructure was not identified prior to the descent. Investigators determined that the utility poles, which typically serve as visual markers for pilots, were not clearly identifiable in this instance. One pole was obscured by a line of trees, while the pole on the opposite side was visually aligned with an agricultural building, making it difficult to distinguish from the background.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a poor assessment of the surrounding environment by the pilot.
- The pilot's attention was diverted by a hedgerow located near the intended landing spot.
- The physical layout of the landscape, including trees and buildings, prevented the clear identification of the power line supports.
- The collision resulted in the envelope being slightly burned and torn.