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Hot-air balloon rides are substantially more likely to result in an injury, or a serious incident or accident, than similar activities in light planes or helicopters, the ATSB has found.
In a newly-released study, the national transport safety watchdog examined 79 balloon occurrences reported to it between 2024 and 2022, and found that ballooning “carried a higher risk to fare paying passengers” than flights in other aircraft, with landing the riskiest phase.
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“On a per-flight basis, ballooning was more likely to have a serious incident or accident, and more likely to have a passenger injury, than equivalent operations in small aeroplanes and helicopters,” chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said.
“Balloons are distinct from other aircraft in that they travel by moving with the wind, with pilots achieving directional control by using differing wind directions at different altitudes.”
According to the report, a serious incident or accident was 8.9 times more likely to occur on a commercial balloon flight than on a joy flight or charter flight in an aeroplane, and 25.6 times more likely than in a helicopter.
Additionally, the study showed a passenger was 34.7 times more likely to sustain an injury in a commercial balloon flight than on an aeroplane joy flight or charter flight, and 58.5 per cent more likely than in a helicopter. No fatalities for ballooning were reported during the period.
“The increased injury risk for balloon passengers is likely due to balloon passengers being unrestrained in an open basket,” the report read.
“Fewer injuries per accident for aeroplanes and helicopters shows that these aircraft sustain greater damage with fewer injuries to occupants than balloons.
“From the available injury information, the majority of the balloon accident injuries consisted of lower limb injuries from terrain collisions, and flail type injuries from passengers colliding with each other.”
Of the 79 occurrences studied, 35 – almost half – cited wind as a factor, including eight serious incidents and five accidents, while 15 attributed assessing and planning as a factor.
“Accurate weather assessment is critical for safe go/no-go decisions,” Mitchell said.
“Pilots should also apply threat and error management by anticipating risks such as powerlines and poor visibility, and prioritising safety over logistical pressures in adverse conditions.
“Although not required by legislation for balloon operators, implementing a Safety Management System provides a structured approach to identifying and managing risks.”
The report was released alongside an ATSB occurrence investigation into a hot-air balloon accident near Beaudesert, Queensland, on 7 July this year, which saw a Kavanagh Balloons G-450, VH-FGC, get blown off-course while landing in foggy conditions.
The basket “skipped several times” along the ground before coming to a stop, while the envelope was damaged after hitting a dead tree.
According to the ATSB, “comprehensive passenger safety briefings meant passengers adopted brace positions before the landing, which likely prevented injury”.
“This accident highlights the importance of effective safety briefings and how passengers adopting the correct body position during landing – the most common phase of flight for serious incidents and accidents – substantially reduces the likelihood and severity of injury,” Mitchell said.
“We encourage all ballooning operators and pilots to review this material from the perspective of their operations, and consider how they can best ensure the safety of their passengers and aircraft.”
