A HOT air balloon that crashed injuring 12 people had no mechanical nor equipment faults, according to a report from the Air Accidents Investigation Board.

But because of high winds the balloon - which had been due to take off from Leeds Castle, near Maidstone - left from Headcorn Aerodrome where conditions appeared calm.

But after it lauched at 5.30am on June 12 with the pilot and 12 passengers aboard, stronger than expected winds were encountered at high altitude and the balloon was carried closer to the North Downs than the pilot intended.

As the pilot came down, searching for a landing spot, sinking air on the lee side of a hill pushed it downwards where it collided at about 20mph with a Second World War bunker at the former RAF Dunkirk Home Radar Station, near Faversham.

The balloon grounded temporarily, then lifted again and evenually landed 230m away, where it was blown into a tree.

The pilot, who had 12 years’ flying experience, dislocated his shoulder, and 11 passengers were also hurt, two suffering broken vertebrae.

Crash inspectors believe all the injuries were sustained in the inital contact with the bunker, when only one man had had time to brace himself. Two of the passengers had to be cut free from the balloon basket by firefighters.

The balloon was owned by Paddock-Wood based Airborne Balloon Flights and had been supplied new just three months previously. The report concluded the accident had simply been caused by adverse wind conditions.