What happened
On March 23, 2003, at approximately 06:00 UTC, a pilot was preparing for a scheduled hot air balloon flight in Schladming, Austria. During the inflation process, which involved using a fan to prepare the envelope, the pilot identified a leak in the connection hose between the propane cylinder and the burner.
An attempt to manage the situation led to an uncontrolled fire. While the pilot was still handling the gas cylinder, two 40 kg propane cylinders exploded. The force of the explosion sent flames approximately 50 meters into the air. The incident resulted in severe injuries to the pilot, who required hospital treatment.
The investigation
The investigation was reconstructed using statements from the pilot, findings from the investigation team, and the official report from the local gendarmerie. The investigation was conducted as a simplified report as the findings were not deemed essential to broader aviation safety.
Findings
- The Lindstrand and Sky Hab/Sky 220-24 balloon sustained a total loss.
- The primary cause of the accident was a leak in the connection hose between the propane cylinder and the burner, which triggered an uncontrolled fire and the subsequent explosion of two 40 kg gas cylinders.