Taking lesson from New Zealand disaster CIA – Safety & Education Subcommittee March 2013

Foreword Information presented by this document are based on “Interim Report ” published by “The Transport Accident Investigation Commission” of New Zealand in April, The Interim report can be downloaded here ts/tabid/78/language/en-US/Default.aspx Or directly here NTCM%3d&tabid=78&language=en-US Final report (not published yet) may include different information !

Accident overview The balloon ZK-XXF struck 33kV power lines shortly after 0720 on Saturday 7 January fatal injuries incl. pilot Balloon destroyed Pilots experience – over 1060 hours Balloon - Cameron A-210 (6000 m3) Nice weather, wind calm to 6kt

Flight path during landing The balloon was going t land in Somerset Road area. The balloon was seen to descend about this time, crossing Somerset Road and drifting south-east. Later on the balloon started to drift to the north- east, crossing Somerset Road again [A] in height about 30-60m (from ground to basket floor) About 400m from Somerset Road, the flight path of the balloon changed and it started drifting in a south-westerly direction back towards Somerset Road. At about 0720 the witnesses saw the balloon descend to between 15 feet and 20 feet (5m and 7m) [B]

Flight path during landing The balloon was then seen to climb and drift left towards a set of power lines that ran along the side of the paddock. [C] Witness A, who was near the kitchen window, saw the balloon approaching the power line at low level. The witness ran outside and into the backyard to see the basket being caught under one of the wires One of the wires caught over the pilot’s end of the basket. The balloon was lifting the wire upwards, indicating that the balloon was trying to rise. Photographs also showed a second wire caught farther down the side of the basket at the same end.

Flight path during landing About 15 to 30 seconds after contacting the wires, an electrical arcing occurred. A fire erupted shortly afterwards low down in the basket the power line lying across the top of the basket broke and the balloon then ascended rapidly. The fire increased in intensity, engulfing the basket and eventually catching the envelope. At about 500 feet (150m) the envelope collapsed and the balloon fell to the ground, about 150m west of the initial wire strike All the balloon occupants died at the scene

Flight path during landing Source: [A] [B] [C] [Powelines contact]

Flight path during landing Source:

This is the power line...

What hapens if an envelope hits a powerline?

...this

Or this Remeber an old statistics made by Aerostar in 1988

Discussions Remember an old statistics made by Aerostar in 1988 In 20 envelope collisions with parachute opened no one has died, 30% accidents ended in an injury In 19 attempts to fly over a power line – 26% attempts ended in a fatal injury – 46% attempts ended in a serious injury For that reasons Flight manual of most of balloon manufacturers says: If contact with power wires cannot be avoided, initiate a rapid descent so that contact with the wires will be made by the envelope instead of the basket assembly. Vent so that envelope hit the power lines