What happened
On January 20, 2002, at approximately 13:00 UTC, an Eurocopter AS350B2 was conducting a low-altitude flight over the Hahnenkamm finish area near Kitzbühel, Austria. The purpose of the flight was to capture video footage for a television broadcast, with a cameraman on board as a passenger.
While flying at an altitude between 50 and 100 meters, the helicopter passed over an area where four hot air balloons were tethered at heights of approximately 10 to 15 meters. The downwash from the helicopter's rotors intercepted the first balloon, forcing it downward. Although the balloon pilot attempted to use the parachute system, the balloon failed to deflate quickly enough and was subsequently pushed down a second time by the rotor wash. This second impact forced the balloon to the ground, where a wooden post approximately 12 cm in diameter pierced the basket floor, striking the pilot in the chest and legs.
During the same sequence, a second nearby balloon was also caught in the rotor wash and driven toward the ground. The helicopter sustained no damage during the incident.
The investigation
The investigation was reconstructed using statements from the pilot, the cameraman, and eyewitnesses, supplemented by an analysis of video footage recorded during the flight. The investigation focused on the interaction between the helicopter's rotor downwash and the tethered balloons at the finish area.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the rotor downwash from the helicopter impacting the tethered hot air balloons.
- The incident resulted in one serious injury to a balloon pilot and two light injuries to other passengers located in the balloon baskets.
- The helicopter remained undamaged.