Between 2013-2024 there were 114 occurrences, including 1 fatal accident, refer to Figure 4. 2018 is a notable year for occurrences, accounting for 20% of the total occurrences over the 12 years.
Table 1 shows the breakdown of occurrences by activity group:
| Occurrence Category | Count | Air Transport | GA – sport and recreation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal Accident | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Accident (excluding fatal) | 19 | 15 | 4 |
| Serious Incident | 33 | 28 | 6 |
| Incidents | 61 | 52 | 9 |
As shown in Figure 5 the accident rate has fluctuated over the period; however, the trend is remaining stable. The serious incident rate is an increasing trend across the period. This is occurring despite a noticeable decrease in reports over the last two years. Table 2 provides the rate for each occurrence type per 100,000 flying hours.
Figure 5 – Balloon Occurrence Rate (per 100,000 flying hours)
| Occurrence category | Count | Rate (per 100,000 flight hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal Accident | 1 | 0.91 |
| Accident | 19 | 17.23 |
| Serious Incident | 33 | 29.97 |
| Incidents | 61 | 55.39 |
(Movement data from 2013 to 2024 through BITRE)
Balloon operations carried out as commercial air transport are accountable for 84% of the occurrences reported and GA – recreational the other 16%.
| State or Territory | Commercial Air Transport | General Aviation - sport and recreation |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 41 | 8 |
| Queensland | 28 | 1 |
| New South Wales | 17 | 7 |
| Western Australia | 4 | 0 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 4 | 0 |
| Northern Territory | 2 | 1 |
| South Australia | 0 | 2 |
| Tasmania | 0 | 0 |