Collision with terrain involving a Kavanagh Balloons EX-77, 5.6 km from Mildura, Victoria, on 7 July 2026

What happened

On 7 July 2026 at about 0809 local time, a Kavanagh Balloons EX-77 was competing in a ballooning competition with a pilot and navigator on board. During a low approach to a competition ground target located in a sports field, with a shallow rate of descent and a ground speed of around 5 to 8 kt, the balloon collided with the elevated roof fascia of a school building alongside the field.

The pilot reported that as soon as they realised they were moving toward the highest part of the building they opened the first main valve,¹ followed by the second valve and then the liquid fire valve, to put the maximum amount of heating into the envelope. When the balloon did not immediately climb as expected, the pilot believed the balloon may have encountered windshear, which, together with possible reduced burner performance from low fuel pressure due to low temperatures, may have resulted in the reduced climb performance experienced.

As a result of the impact, the navigator fell against a padded steel gas tank. The pilot checked with the navigator if they needed to land as soon as possible but the navigator advised they were okay to continue flight as they believed they were only winded from the impact. The pilot identified a safe place to land where they could avoid power lines, trees and the need for a rapid descent. A paddock with landowner permissions and access to a main road was selected and the balloon landed safely, with emergency assistance received shortly thereafter.

The balloon sustained minor damage to a piece of the wickerwork on the basket and the school building sustained minor damage to a portion of sheet metal fascia, and a crack in a sheet of fibrous cement soffit. The pilot did not sustain any injuries; however, the navigator was taken to hospital with serious rib injuries – noting that they had broken ribs on a previous (unrelated) occasion.

Safety message

This occurrence highlights the need for multi-crew balloon pilots to ensure that, when descending to a landing or competition target in a confined space (or with obstacles in proximity), crew resources are allocated and shared to ensure that the track, trajectory and ground speed of the balloon are constantly monitored. This will ensure that the pilot can take prompt and timely avoiding action if obstacle clearance is not assured.

About this report

Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.

1. ^    The main (vapour) valve, or blast valve, is the main burner. This is operated by pulling a trigger or lever on the burner unit which then sends a flow of propane that gets burned off to create heat, resulting in the balloon rising.