Date:	Sunday 25 June 2023
Time:	06:20 LT
Type:	DB-6R Hot Air Balloon (Homebuilt)
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-CMFS
MSN:	3
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Holt Fleet Road, Ombersley, near Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Worcester Racecourse, Worcester, Worcestershire
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
An amateur built DB-6R hot air balloon, deflated and "fell to the ground" on 25 June 2023 at Holt Fleet Road, Ombersley, near Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire. The pilot (who was also the designer, builder and owner of the balloon) died and the balloon was written off. The pilot fatality was widely reported by the media and his family as Peter Gregory, aged 25.

The AAIB Report into the incident was published on 23 May 2024, and the following is the summary from the AAIB report:

On the morning of Sunday 25 June G-CMFS was participating in a competition event, which was part of the British Grand Prix 2023 series. This was the second flight of the event; the first took place the day before. Four other balloons, G-DANJ, G-CLHS, G-LOKI and G-CLDJ, took part in the event. The launch site was Worcester Racecourse, with all the balloons launching just after 05:00 hrs.

One part of the competition involved dropping a marker as close as possible to a target location. The accident occurred whilst the balloon was climbing rapidly away from this target. The balloon envelope collapsed, and the basket descended to the ground, fatally injuring the pilot.

The investigation found the balloon was likely to have suffered a parachute stall. The balloon design, the weather conditions, and the rapid climb are all likely to have contributed to the accident.

Three Safety Recommendations are made to the British Ballooning and Airship Club (BBAC) to: develop an effective reporting culture within the ballooning community; issue guidance on the prevention and recovery from unsafe conditions such as parachute stalls; and issue guidance regarding jettisoning of fuel tanks during an emergency.

Two Safety Recommendations are made to the CAA to: publish guidance on the design, testing and inspection of amateur balloons insofar as these activities relate to unsafe conditions such as parachute stalls; and publish guidance related to the oversight of competition balloon flying.

Safety Recommendation 2024-008:
It is recommended that the Civil Aviation Authority publish guidance on the design, testing and inspection of amateur-built balloons to reduce the risk of accidents due to unsafe conditions such as parachute stall.

Safety Recommendation 2024-009:
It is recommended that the British Balloon and Airship Club routinely communicate the importance of safety reporting to its members to promote an effective reporting culture, capture safety learning and help prevent a recurrence of ballooning accidents and serious incidents

Safety Recommendation 2024-010:
It is recommended that the British Balloon and Airship Club publish guidance on best practice for the prevention of and recovery from unsafe conditions such as parachute stalls.

Safety Recommendation 2024-011:
It is recommended that the British Balloon and Airship Club publish guidance material on best practice regarding jettisoning of fuel tanks during an emergency.

Safety Recommendation 2024-12:
It is recommended that the Civil Aviation Authority publish guidance for the safe oversight of competition balloon flying in the UK, to ensure the risks associated with the activity are appropriately understood by competitors and managed by competition organisers.

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the above AAIB Report "Balloon destroyed". However, the CAA have not yet cancelled the registration as at 24 May 2024, although the CAA records do note "Registered owners Addressee status: Deceased".

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/664e05eaf34f9b5a56adccb1/Amateur-built_balloon__DB-6R__G-CMFS_07-24.pdf
2. https://aubreaking.com/pictured-pilot-25-killed-when-his-homemade-hot-air-balloon-burst-into-flames-at-nearly-1000ft/
3. https://news.sky.com/story/man-dies-after-hot-air-balloon-catches-fire-and-plummets-to-ground-in-worcestershire-12909326
4. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-66022130
5. https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23612806.ombersley-hot-air-balloon-crash-recounted-eyewitnesses/
6. https://www.itv.com/news/central/2023-06-25/man-dies-after-hot-air-balloon-deflates-and-falls-to-ground
7. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12235743/Tragic-Ryanair-pilot-built-hot-air-balloon-just-15-days-using-sewing-machine-tent-fabric.html
8. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breaking-man-dies-horrific-hot-30317626
9. https://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/23612546.police-say-man-died-ombersley-hot-air-balloon-crash/
10. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1309647365728378/posts/5754472121245858/
11. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/25/hot-air-balloon-crash-kills-man-fireball-worcester/
12. https://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/west-mercia/news/2023/june/family-pay-tribute-to-pilot-pete/
13. https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits/bristol/news/report-into-fatal-air-balloon-crash-in-worcestershire-released/
14. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj77lmnxz38o
15. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/pilot-killed-balloon-crash-wanted-29227311
16. https://www.itv.com/news/central/2023-06-26/family-pay-tribute-to-airline-pilot-25-killed-in-hot-air-balloon-accident
17. https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/tributes-peter-gregory-balloon-death/
18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ombersley

As has been widely reported, this balloon was a \"home build\", being designed and built by the pilot/owner (who was also the sole fatality). The balloon was first UK registered as G-CMFS on 22 April 2022 as a \"Gregory DB-6R Ball\"

Although the pilot/owner was killed on 25 June 2023, as widely reported at the time, and per the above AAIB Investigation, the CAA have not yet cancelled the registration as at 24 May 2024. However, the CAA records do note \"Registered owners Addressee status: Deceased\".

A report has been published into a fatal accident involving an amateur built balloon (DB-6R), G-CMFS, Ombersley Court, Worcestershire, 25 June 2023.https://t.co/XxRJX0NXIO#Aviation #AviationSafety pic.twitter.com/K7sSWAaJdC

— AAIB (@aaibgovuk) May 23, 2024

A hot air balloon crash which killed a 25-year-old pilot was probably caused when a vent could not reseal during a rapid climb and the balloon collapsed, investigators said. https://t.co/Hiz1lXINOI

— BBC News Midlands (@bbcmtd) May 23, 2024

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-Jun-2023 15:03	gerard57	Added
25-Jun-2023 15:03	gerard57	Updated
25-Jun-2023 16:10	RobertMB	Updated
25-Jun-2023 16:49	Dr. John Smith	Updated
26-Jun-2023 05:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated
26-Jun-2023 06:25	Aerossurance	Updated
27-Jun-2023 11:29	southcoaster	Updated
27-Jun-2023 13:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated
27-Jun-2023 17:12	RobertMB	Updated
28-Jun-2023 05:49	RobertMB	Updated
06-Jul-2023 18:50	OmbersLee	Updated
21-Aug-2023 17:56	Dr. John Smith	Updated
14-May-2024 12:08	aero_adv	Updated [Category]
24-May-2024 15:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative]
24-May-2024 15:29	ASN	Updated [Embed code, Accident report]
25-May-2024 15:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code]