Passenger electrocuted after hot air balloon crashes into power cables

Two hot air balloon passengers were injured after the craft struck a series of power cables and caught fire.

The crash brought down the overhead electric wires and made the balloon’s basket electrically live.

One flyer received an electric shock because he was still touching the basket structure when he stepped on the ground as he was trying to evacuate.

Another passenger suffered an ankle injury in the crash in Essex on April 10 last year, which the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) released a report about on Thursday.

One pilot and ten passengers set off in a Cameron Z-275 hot air balloon from Petersfield village, Gosfield in Essex, just before 5pm.

After flying for around 40 minutes, the pilot found an appropriate field to land in close to Earls Colne Airfield.

However, the pilot – who had 332 hours of flying experience – did not spot a row of low-level power cables before touching down.

Describing the crash, the report read: ‘The pilot made an approach to what he believed to be an appropriate landing area, recognising that a set of power cables ran along the road bordering his chosen field.

‘He successfully landed just beyond those wires. Only when the balloon basket had touched down did the pilot recognise there was a second set of wires in the field.

‘As the balloon basket dragged along the ground, the envelope broke the wires. The wires contacted parts of the basket structure and fell to the ground.’

The wires were heard breaking before igniting grass near the balloon.

Smoke then began billowing out from underneath the bottom of the basket, with the pilot ordering the passengers to evacuate.

However, the fallen cables caused parts of the balloon structure to become electrically live.

So when passengers were ordered to get out, one received an electric shock because he was still touching the basket structure when
he touched the ground, the AAIB report said.

Another passenger also sustained an ankle injury while climbing out of the basket.

The pilot gathered all passengers near the side of the road to check everyone had made it out and called emergency services, along with a passing motorist.

The fire service extinguished the fire on the balloon and rushed the electrocuted passenger to hospital.

He suffered minor burned injuries, a sprained ankle and suffered chest pains following the crash.

The other injured passenger was also diagnosed with a secondary headache from his other injuries.

The AAIB report concluded: ‘Just after touchdown the balloon struck a set of low-level power cables which the pilot did not see during the approach, and which were not depicted on the maps he was using.

‘He evacuated the passengers according to the Flight manual advice but did not have time to warn them of the risk of electric shock.

A Virgin spokesman said: ‘The pilot responded swiftly and with the utmost care, ordering a prompt disembarkation of the basket to ensure passenger safety.’

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