ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 187511
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 22 May 2016 |
| Time: | 07:30 LT |
| Type: |  Cameron A-210 Hot Air Balloon |
| Owner/operator: | The Sackville Balloon Flying Group |
| Registration: | |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | B573 Northampton Road, near Earls Barton, Wellingborough, Northants -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Obelisk Centre, Kingsthorpe, Northampton |
| Sackville Farm Airfield, Risely, Bedfordshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
The balloon crashed into electric cables and crashed into a Field next to the B573 Northampton Road, near Earls Barton, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Witnesses estimated the balloon descended rapidly from about 200 feet and caught fire. The witnesses said it may have struck a pylon. According to a press release from Northamptonshire Police:
"Hot air balloon crash in field near Earls Barton
Published today at 09:20
At around 7.30am this morning (Sunday, 22 May), a hot air balloon crashed into a field adjacent to the B573 near to Earls Barton. One woman, on board the hot air balloon, suffered burn injuries and was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The investigation has now been handed over to the Air Accident Investigation Bureau."
According to a contemporary newspaper report ("The Guardian" 23 Nay 2016):
"Woman suffers burns in hot air balloon crash
Passenger is flown to hospital in Birmingham after balloon reportedly hits power line, bursts into flames and crashes
A woman has suffered burns after a hot air balloon crashed into a field near the Northamptonshire village of Earls Barton. Some witnesses told the BBC they saw blue sparks as the balloon brushed a power line, and that the two occupants, a man and a woman, were throwing gas canisters overboard in an attempt to gain height, before it burst into flames and crashed.
The balloon came down on Sunday morning in a field close to Whites Nurseries, a farm shop where the gates had just opened and scores of people were gathering for a car boot sale. The crash caused power to be temporarily cut to more than 2,000 homes, Western Power Distribution said.
Northamptonshire police, ambulance and fire services were at the scene soon after the crash, which happened at around 7.30am. The 22-year-old woman was taken to the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham by air ambulance.
An eyewitness, who did not want to be named, said there were several balloons in the air above a car-boot sale held by nearby Whites Nurseries. He said: “One of them looked like it was carrying on towards the village and I think it must have collided with the electricity lines. There were quite a few people in the field at the time.”
A Western Power Distribution spokesman said: “We had one of our 33,000 volt circuits trip - it was a momentary interruption to 2,360 customers and they were restored automatically within a minute.
“We had a report of a hot air balloon crash and since then we have switched the circuit out. Engineers attended and the circuit was completely isolated. They inspected the line and completed minor repairs. The line did not come down.”
Police said the accident was being investigated by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau.
Wendy Rousell, secretary of the British Balloon and Airship club, said flying conditions had been perfect on Sunday morning, and that such accidents were very rare in the UK."
Sources:
1. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/22/woman-injured-in-hot-air-balloon-crash-in-northamptonshire/_/
2. http://www.northants.police.uk/#!/News/28195
3. http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2016-05-22/hot-air-balloon-crashes-in-northamptonshire-field/
4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-36352962
5. https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/Woman-hospital-hot-air-balloon-crashed-Northants/story-29303765-detail/story.html
6. https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/video-100-people-were-in-northamptonshire-field-where-air-balloon-crashed-1-7394984
7. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4498950/Woman-s-hot-air-balloon-selfie-hit-power-cables.html
8. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/may/22/woman-injured-in-hot-air-balloon-crash
9. Video: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews/videos/hot-air-balloon-crashes-in-northamptonshire-video-by-steve-cowee-read-more-bbcin/10153625434797217/
10. Daily Mirror 2 Dec 2019: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/womans-dream-becoming-doctor-wrecked-21008747
11. https://www.balloonevents.info/event/550-grass-roots
12. http://www.sackvilleflyingclub.co.uk/flyingactivities.html
13. Daily Mail 1 Dec 2019: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7744775/Healthcare-assistant-suffered-burns-hot-air-balloon-crash-sues-flight-company-1million.html
Media:
Hot air balloon crash in field near Earls Barton https://t.co/QAeNrR1Ze2
— Northants Police (@NorthantsPolice) May 22, 2016
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-May-2016 10:45 | gerard57 | Added |
| 22-May-2016 13:43 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 22-May-2016 13:54 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Embed code] |
| 22-May-2016 14:18 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Plane category] |
| 24-May-2016 15:12 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Narrative, Plane category] |
| 13-May-2017 02:05 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 05-Sep-2022 22:15 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Sep-2022 22:27 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 05-Sep-2022 22:28 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 05-Sep-2022 22:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation