A 28-year-old aircraft pilot died after she was thrown from the basket of a hot air balloon that crashed into a building in western Poland.
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The incident occurred on March 9 in the city of Zielona Góra. Pilot Jagoda Gancarek was flying in the balloon with two other women when the aircraft collided with a building on Krzywoustego Street. The impact ejected Gancarek from the basket and sent her falling onto the roof of the structure, according to officials.
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and attempted to resuscitate the young pilot. Despite their efforts, first responders could not revive her, and pronounced her dead. “The prosecutor examined the scene where the body was discovered on the building’s roof, and the body was secured for an autopsy,” the statement wrote.
The two passengers who remained in the balloon survived the crash. Paramedics transported them to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Reports indicate that the balloon had been flying low before striking the residential building. After the collision, the balloon descended and came to rest nearby, with parts of the equipment becoming tangled in a tree while the basket landed on the street.
Local officials have opened an investigation into the cause of the accident. The District Prosecutor’s Office in Zielona Góra and the State Commission on Aircraft Accident Investigation are examining the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Jagoda Gancarek Was A Passionate Flier
Per outlet Fakt, Gancarek worked with the Lubusz Land Aeroclub, where she trained as a pilot and later helped instruct other aspiring aviators. Colleagues described her as a passionate flyer who shared her knowledge and enthusiasm for aviation with others.
She had also earned recognition in competitive ballooning. In 2025, she won the title of Polish Women’s Champion during the 11th Women’s Balloon Championship.
Following her death, the aeroclub released a statement mourning the loss of their colleague and offering condolences to her family, friends, and fellow pilots. “Jagoda lived her passions as a flight instructor. She also flew as a firefighter pilot,” they wrote. “She had a lot of aviation experience and shared that experience with others.”