Hot-air balloon in emergency landing

A slow wind caused confusion in the Life Fourways Hospital parking lot yesterday when a hot-air balloon was forced to land there.

Pioneer Aviation pilot Marc Nuthall and student pilot Vincent Cook were flying back to Chartwell when their balloon was blown northeast from its destination.

"It was a private flight - a training flight. A slow wind led us in a different direction from where we had planned to land," Nuthall said.

Motorists, pedestrians and local residents waved and smiled as the two flew down to land in close proximity to them.

However, security guards at the hospital were caught unawares and confused when the giant balloon came down on hospital property.

Said Nuthall: "They were very helpful and friendly, though I had to explain what happened in a report to the hospital management."

He said there were other landing options, but the hospital was the safest because of heavy early morning traffic and nearby construction sites.

Life Healthcare confirmed the landing, saying there were no casualties or damage to property.

In his many years of aeronautics, Nuthall has often had to land in unplanned places.

"It is normal ballooning. Quite often we land on farms and small holdings and build a relationship with owners. Today's landing was foreign only for those who witnessed it."

Student hot-air balloon pilots need at least 16 flying hours before going for their intermediate and final checkouts.