What happened
On July 13, 2022, at approximately 12:15 UTC, a private HEAD-BALLOONS Model hot air balloon, registration LV-WXO, was involved in an incident in a rural area near the Cafayate Solar Plant in Salta, Argentina. The aircraft was participating in a general aviation pleasure flight that had originated from and was returning to the Cafayate Aerodrome.
After the flight concluded, the balloon landed successfully and all occupants had disembarked from the basket. While the crew was performing the deflation procedure on the ground, the upper portion of the balloon made contact with an overhead high-voltage power line. The contact triggered the automatic protection system of the electrical line, resulting in a power interruption lasting 45 minutes.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the post-flight deflation process. It was established that the contact occurred only after the passengers had safely exited the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the electrical surge caused by the contact was managed by the grid's automated safety mechanisms, which temporarily cut power to the area.
Findings
- There were no injuries reported among the crew or passengers, and no fatalities occurred.
- The contact between the balloon envelope and the power line was the primary event.
- No damage was sustained by the HEAD-BALLOONS Model balloon or the high-voltage electrical infrastructure.
- The power outage was a direct result of the automatic activation of the line's protection system following the contact.