Date:	Saturday 10 August 2024
Time:	20:00 LT
Type:	Lindstrand LBL-90A
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-JEMI
MSN:	1189
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Accident
Location:	Forncett End, 5 miles SE of Wymondham, Norfolk -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Ely, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport:	Forncett End, 5 miles SE of Wymondham, Norfolk
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Lindstrand LBL-90A, G-JEMI: Passenger seriously injured in a heavy landing, Forncett End, Norfolk, 10 August 2024. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation

"Synopsis
The pilot reported making an approach into a “large field” where several other balloons had already landed. During the initial stage of the approach, they saw a horse in a field below them and elected to delay their descent until they had passed it. They then commenced a steep approach into the target field. When the pilot attempted to reduce the descent rate using one of the balloon’s burners, they thought it “sounded different,” ie not firing correctly, so fired the other burner instead. While the second burner worked normally, the need to switch burners reduced the time available to slow the descent rate and the pilot was not able to arrest it sufficiently before touchdown.

This resulted in a heavy landing, during which a passenger suffered a broken collarbone after banging their shoulder against one of the gas canisters. The pilot reported that the passenger was an experienced flyer who was seated in “the correct landing position” before touchdown and that they have since made a full recovery".

Damage sustained to airframe
Per the AAIB Report "None". The incident was a notifiable accident due to the serious injury sustained by the passenger on landing.

Forncett End is located in the county of Norfolk, Eastern England, five miles south-east of the town of Wymondham, 11 miles south-west of the major city of Norwich, and 87 miles north-east of London. Forncett End falls within the district council of South Norfolk, under the county council of Norfolk. It is in the NR16 postcode district. The post town for Forncett End is Norwich.

1. AAIB Report 12 December 2024: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67571f6fd89258d2868daedf/LBL_90A_G-JEMI_12-24.pdf
2. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/G-JEMI.html
3. https://planefinder.net/data/aircraft/G-JEMI
4. https://www.airnavradar.com/data/registration/G-JEMI
5. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-jemi
6. https://www.townandvillageguide.com/Norfolk/Forncett_End.html
7. https://www.getthedata.com/forncett-end/where-is-forncett-end
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forncett

Built 2007. First registered as G-JEMI on 12 December 2007 to the 1st owner. Sold on 25 March 2019 to the 2nd owner. Although the balloon sustained no damage in the incident at Forncett End on 10 August 2024, the incident was a notifiable accident due to the serious injury sustained by the passenger on landing. Total amount of flying hours accumulated on the airframe: 164 as at 19 May 2024.

G-JEMI: Lindstrand LBL-90A at Old Buckenham Balloon Festival, Norfolk, 13 August 2022:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Dec-2024 09:27	Dr. John Smith	Added
14-Dec-2024 09:27	ASN	Updated [Operator, Accident report, ]