A pilot died after the hot air balloon that he was in crashed to the ground in Ombersley, Worcestershire on Sunday 25th June 2023.
The West Mercia Police were dispatched at approximately 6:20am in response to a distress call reporting that a hot air balloon had deflated and crashed into a field near the village.
The man killed was identified as 25-year-old Peter Gregory, a skilled pilot known as “Pilot Pete,” from Cirencester in Gloucestershire. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Peter Gregory’s family expressed their profound grief over his death, emphasising that flying was his passion, whether it be through hot air balloons or as an airline pilot.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident aiming to shed light on the causes of the deflation and subsequent crash.
The AAIB, in collaboration with the West Mercia Police, appealed to the public for any footage or evidence to piece together the sequence of events leading up to the hot air balloon crash.
