What happened
On April 16, 2007, a CAMERON Z 350 hot air balloon, registration F-GPLV, operated by Air Magic Loire Valley, was conducting a sightseeing flight over the Loire Valley region. As the flight approached its conclusion, the pilot identified a fallow field for landing, situated between a cultivated wheat field and a forest edge.
During the descent, the pilot maneuvered the basket to approach the landing site. At an altitude of a few meters and an estimated speed of 15 km/h, the pilot activated the rapid deflation system. The basket made initial contact with the ground approximately 100 meters before reaching the edge of the intended fallow field. The basket bounced several times across the wheat field before coming to a halt at the edge of a 1.40-meter drop-off.
As the basket settled, the envelope shifted toward the adjacent fallow field, pulling the basket toward the embankment. Although the pilot instructed passengers to move away from the drop-off, the basket overturned into a ditch. During the subsequent evacuation, eight passengers sustained burns caused by two successive flames.
The investigation
Investigators examined the technical components of the four burners and their controls, finding them to be in proper working order. The investigation established that the pilot had chosen to land at the edge of the wheat field due to concerns regarding the limited landing length and the proximity of the forest.
Analysis of the site, passenger testimonies, and video recordings revealed that the basket remained stationary for 18 seconds before overturning. Evidence from the ground indicated that one pair of burners operated while the basket was in its overturned position. While the pilot stated they had closed the pilot lights and gas cylinders during the capsize, the investigation focused on the status of the pilot light valves.
Findings
- The pilot's workload was increased by the restricted landing area and the proximity of trees, which likely led to the omission or delay of critical pre-landing procedures, specifically the shutting off of the pilot lights.
- During the evacuation, the burner control lever was inadvertently activated by one or more occupants, triggering the flames.
- The occurrence of the flames indicates that the pilot lights associated with the burners had not been fully extinguished or closed.