What happened
On July 13, 2018, at approximately 17:47 UTC, a CAMERON Z 160 hot air balloon, registration OK-9650, was conducting a sightseeing flight near the village of Žeravice, Czech Republic. The crew consisted of the pilot and seven passengers.
After approximately 45 minutes of flight, the weather conditions began to deteriorate rapidly as convective clouds and thunderstorms developed in the area. In response to the worsening weather, the pilot decided to terminate the flight early and selected a landing area on the southern edge of the village.
During the approach to the landing site, the balloon entered a downdraft, causing a significant and unexpected loss of altitude. Despite the pilot's efforts to mitigate the descent through intense use of the burner, the basket struck the edge of a residential house roof, damaging several tiles. The descent continued, and the basket subsequently struck local electrical power lines, severing a high-voltage conductor and causing a local power outage. The balloon eventually reached the ground, where the basket bounced and eventually tipped onto its side. There were no injuries to the pilot or passengers, and the balloon itself sustained no damage.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation established that the pilot was fully qualified and experienced, and the aircraft was in a proper state of airworthiness. The pilot had correctly identified the deteriorating weather and proactively initiated the landing procedure.
Meteorological analysis confirmed that while conditions were favorable at the time of takeoff, a localized area of convective activity and turbulence developed during the flight. The investigation examined the impact of the sudden downward air movement on the flight path and the subsequent contact with ground obstacles. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's actions regarding passenger safety briefings and emergency procedures.