On 7 January 2012, while operating in the vicinity of Carterton, New Zealand, a Cameron Balloons A-210 hot-air balloon, registered ZK-XXF, contacted power lines and caught fire before colliding with terrain. The 11 occupants were fatally injured.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) of New Zealand is responsible for the investigation of this occurrence. On 14 March 2012, the TAIC formally requested the assistance of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in the recovery of data from a damaged GPS receiver found at the accident site.
The ATSB successfully recovered the accident data from the GPS receiver. This data and a technical report have been sent to the TAIC of New Zealand to assist its ongoing investigation. The TAIC is responsible for releasing a final investigation report regarding this occurrence.
- TAIC website: www.taic.org.nz
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Released in accordance with section 25 of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003.