Event
On 23 February 2025, a hot air balloon operated for a commercial flight made a hard landing in a field near Santa Cristina in Salivolpe, within the municipality of San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Florence. The balloon, a Cameron N-145 with registration I-CIBA, had departed around 06:50 UTC from an airstrip near Barberino Tavarnelle. The flight lasted approximately 40 minutes. After initial touchdown on grassy terrain, the balloon continued moving across a slightly sloping area, experiencing several bounces. The basket eventually tipped onto its longer side and came to rest after about 30 meters. One adult passenger suffered a serious injury; the balloon reported no damage.
Aircraft and Pilot
The balloon was a Cameron Balloons N-145 with a volume of 145,000 cubic feet (4106 m³) and a maximum take-off mass of 1315 kg. The basket was equipped with grab handles. No onboard recording devices were installed for pilot inputs or environmental parameters.
The pilot, aged 56, held a valid medical certificate and valid ratings for Hot Air Balloon groups A and B, including tethered flights. His total balloon flight experience was 149 hours. His most recent flight prior to the accident was on 5 January 2025, and his last flight in I-CIBA was on 21 November 2024.
Weather
Meteorological reports from Florence-Peretola airport (LIRQ), approximately 20 km from the accident site, indicated banks of fog and light variable winds with no gusts. The surface wind chart for the area at the time of the event (07:00 UTC) suggested wind speeds between 1 and 3 knots from the southeast. The pilot described the weather as good at departure and during the flight.
Aftermath
According to the pilot, after the first contact the basket slid on wet grass. He speculated that a medium-intensity gust might have occurred, though no other witness accounts confirm the gust. The pilot stated that the basket did not capsize and all occupants remained inside. He suggested that the injured passenger may have been trying to protect the 9-year-old child on board instead of holding the grab handles.
Two adult passengers provided statements. One said that before landing the pilot instructed them to squat and hold onto a rope, but the first landing attempt was aborted. During the second attempt, the basket bounced and was dragged on the slope; the passenger reported being struck multiple times. The second passenger stated that the pilot had given a briefing on landing position—bending legs and holding handles—and that during the second landing, the injured passenger let go of the handles to support the child and was hurt.
Causes
The accident investigation concluded that the passenger's injury was likely caused by the passenger's failure to follow the prescribed landing position. The investigation also noted two factors that may have contributed: an unexpected wind gust of intensity significantly above the average wind, as reported by the pilot, and the pilot's relatively limited recent balloon flight experience prior to the accident.