What happened
On 10 July 2005, a Colt 105A hot air balloon, registration G-BPZS, was conducting a passenger flight near Farmborough, Somerset. After departing from the western outskirts of Bath, the pilot intended to land in a field situated west of the A39 road. The pilot chose this specific location to ensure easy access for a recovery vehicle and to prevent damage to the field.
As the balloon descended to approximately 15 feet above the ground, the pilot identified a line of power cables in the flight path. In an attempt to avoid the obstruction, the pilot used the burners to increase lift; however, when contact became unavoidable, the pilot instructed the passengers to crouch in the basket and shut off the propane fuel supply.
The basket uprights struck the cables, causing the wires to short out and break. During the impact, one passenger was struck by a cable on their back, and another was hit by sparks. The falling cables also struck a vehicle traveling on the A3Y road, though the car's occupants were unhurt. The balloon landed roughly 200 meters from the site of the cable strike, and the two passengers sustained minor burns requiring hospital treatment.
The investigation
Investigators examined the accident site and utilized aerial photography from the police helicopter unit. The analysis revealed that a utility pole supporting the cables was located roughly 10 meters east of the A39. This pole and the associated wires were partially hidden by trees, which obscured them from view during the descent.
Weather conditions at the time of the accident were consistent with the pilot's forecast, featuring light north-easterly winds of approximately 7 knots, clear skies, and high visibility. The investigation also noted that the pilot's decision to land near the road, rather than in the center of the large, unobstructed field, placed the aircraft in closer proximity to the obscured hazards.