A GUST of wind and pilot error have been identified as the possible causes of a near-disaster in which a hot air balloon carrying 16 passengers crashed into a tree near Alton. According to a recently published Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB) report, the distinctive red balloon, advertising Triumph lingerie, had been forced to make a controlled emergency landing in a field at Wivelrod after colliding with a tree and damaging the balloon envelope. But, while 'the magic of ballooning' may have received a knock, Wiltshire-based operating company, Go-Ballooning is keen to stress that this was "a very minor incident" and that hot air ballooning remains "the safest form of aviation travel in the world". Go-Ballooning charters the Cameron Z-315 balloon – appropriately registered G-KNIX – from UK counties ballooning champion Andrew Holly. As a specialist in balloon pleasure flights, according to Sandra Hossack of Go-Ballooning, the company flies several thousands of passengers every year in complete safety, and is proud of its operating record. On this occasion, according to the AAIB report, the 33-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot's licence and was experienced, with 401 hours under his belt, 230 hours on type. The incident, recorded at 3.50pm on October 29 last year, marked an exciting end to an otherwise uneventful afternoon pleasure flight that had taken off some 45 minutes earlier from Anstey Park in Alton. The pilot had intended to land in a "fairly large" stubble field four miles south-west of the launch site, near Medstead, and had detailed his ground support crew to obtain permission from the land owners. The report states that having instructed the passengers to take their landing positions, he made an approach while travelling at a steady speed of two to three knots and, when over the middle of the field at about 25 feet, had pulled the main deflation line. At this point the balloon was subject to a gust of wind that increased its speed to eight knots. The report continued: "Realising that he would not be able to stop the balloon by the end of the field, he ignited the burners to climb out of the field. "As the balloon was climbing it collided with a large beech tree, snagging and tearing several panels of the balloon envelope. "One passenger, who was in the front right compartment was hit on the head by a branch and received two cuts to her head." The report later reveals that she was unable to return to work for seven weeks. Several branches ended up in the basket but were later discarded. Other passengers reported being hit by tree branches but were not injured. "The pilot continued to climb out of the tree, with the burners on, before carrying out a controlled landing in an adjacent field without further incident." According to the repor, after landing the pilot asked the injured passenger is she would like an ambulance called, but she declined saying she was "just shaken". The passengers' recollection of the incident was that, as the balloon reached the middle of the field, at about 20 to 30ft, permission had not been obtained to land and the pilot was demanding a decision one way or the other. "At this instant, as the balloon was drifting across the field, most of the passengers could see the approaching tree from a 'reasonable distance'. "They soon appreciated that they were going to collide with the tree and instinctively ducked inside the basket." "The passengers added that after the support crew arrived in their vehicles, they appeared to be more concerned with packing up the balloon than transporting the passengers." The report concluded: "It appears from the passengers' comments that the pilot may have had enough time to abort the attempted landing safely. "Thus there is a possibility that the pilot failed to prioritise his actions, to the detriment of the safety of the balloon and its passengers, and was distracted by trying to obtain permission to land. "The adverse effect of a gust of wind cannot be discounted. "However, had the pilot kept the balloon at a height above that of the surrounding trees while awaiting a decision, the probability of colliding with a tree would have been much reduced."