What happened
On 1 November 2004, a Sky 260-24 balloon, registration G-KTKT, was conducting a passenger pleasure flight near Braithwell, South Yorkshire. The aircraft was carrying a crew of one and twelve passengers. During the flight, the passengers were positioned in four separate, internally padded compartments within the basket.
Prior to the landing, the pilot conducted safety briefings and provided specific instructions for the touchdown, directing passengers to lean against the basket sides and face away from the direction of travel. While the pilot reported that the initial touchdown on the smooth farm field was normal, the basket subsequently toppled over. A passenger reported that the landing felt sudden and that the basket continued to bump and drag across the ground after contact with the surface. During the overturn, a passenger sustained a leg injury when another individual fell against them.
The investigation
Following the incident, the AAIB conducted an investigation based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot and subsequent telephone interviews. The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing phase and the subsequent movement of the basket. Medical records were reviewed regarding the injured passenger, who was initially treated and found to have no fracture, but was later diagnosed with a fracture following a follow-up X-ray one week after the event.
Findings
- The landing on the farm field was initially successful, but the basket toppled over after the aircraft had touched down.
- The passenger injury was caused by the impact of another person falling against them during the overturn.
- The aircraft sustained no damage to the balloon itself.