Burning Descent Over Limavady – Branson’s 1987 Brush with Death | Season 5 – Episode 52
Floats Jul 01, 2025
Tomorrow, 2nd July, marks the 38th anniversary of a daring and historic ballooning adventure that ended spectacularly near the town of Limavaddy. In 1987, Per Lindstrand and Richard Branson launched from Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine, USA in the Virgin Atlantic Flyer, determined to become the first to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon, something no one had ever done before without helium or gas. Towering 55 metres high and filled with 2.3 million cubic metres of hot air, their silver-and-black balloon carried them for 31 hours and 41 minutes across 4,950 kilometres of open ocean before their uncontrolled and brief crash landing in a field near the town of Limavaddy, County Derry/ Londonderry.
THE PILOTS
The late 1980s were a time of bold adventures and audacious dreams. Building a 55-metre-high balloon to cross the Atlantic as a publicity stunt for a new airline was just the kind of daring move expected then.
Richard Branson’s aviation journey began in 1978 when a cancelled flight to the British Virgin Islands led him to charter a plane and sell seats to fellow stranded passengers, jokingly dubbing it “Virgin Airlines.” Sensing an opportunity for a better flying experience, he launched Virgin Atlantic in 1984 to challenge established carriers with superior service and a rebellious spirit. The 1987 transatlantic flight of the Virgin Atlantic Flyer brought massive publicity and boosted awareness for 36-year-old Branson’s airline.
Swedish aeronautical engineer and pioneering balloonist Per Lindstrand, co-designer of the Virgin Atlantic Flyer’s envelope, brought deep expertise to the mission. By 1987, at age 39, he held licences to fly nearly every kind of aircraft, from helicopters to gliders.
PER’S IRISH CONNECTION
Per Lindstrand had a professional connection to Ireland, particularly the town of Tullamore, County Offaly, which coincidently is site of the world’s first recorded aviation accident in 1785, when a balloon crash caused major damage – see our story below.
Nearly two centuries later, in 1976, Lindstrand co-founded Colting Balloons in Tullamore. The location was chosen for its lower costs, skilled workforce, government support and unrestricted airspace for flight testing. In 1978, the company moved to Oswestry, England, for better market access. Lindstrand eventually took over and renamed it Colt Balloons, which later became Thunder & Colt.
THE BALLOON
The Atlantic Flyer, built specifically for the record attempt, marked a major advancement in balloon technology. It was about thirty times larger than a typical hot-air balloon and more than twice the size of the previous largest balloon, making it the biggest ever flown at the time.
Designed by Lindstrand and built by Thunder & Colt, it used a dual-layered system. The balloon envelope was made from laminate fabric reinforced with load tapes and webbing, with solar-absorbing fabric on the lower half to aid heating. The balloon stood 54.6 metres tall, held 65,000 cubic metres of air, and could reach speeds over 200 km/h. Propane burners supplied hot air, supplemented by solar energy.
The gondola was engineered for both performance and safety. Constructed from carbon fibre and Kevlar, it featured a pressurised cabin to protect the crew at high altitudes. Its advanced materials, dual heating system and safety features made it cutting-edge for its time.
THE FLIGHT
Branson and Lindstrand expected their transatlantic flight to take 65 hours and cover 5,600 kilometres. They launched from a ski resort in Maine, USA, aiming to land near Kilmarnock on Scotland’s west coast around 11:00 on 3 July. However, strong jet stream winds sped up the journey dramatically. Flying at 8,230 metres, they covered 4,800 kilometres in just 24 hours, reaching speeds over 260 km/h.
By Friday morning, they sighted Ireland’s northwest coast, still flying at 140 km/h. As they neared land, they slowed the Virgin Atlantic Flyer but were advised not to descend too soon. After crossing Donegal and Derry/Londonderry, the balloon caught fire and began an uncontrolled descent from 9,100 metres. It briefly landed near Limavady, skidded across a field and through a stone wall and was photographed on the ground.
“We’re on fire,” Branson later recalled. “Lumps of burning snowballs were falling around the dome, and one piece of propane hitting it could’ve exploded it.”
After striking the ground, Lindstrand triggered the explosive bolts to release the gondola, but instead the balloon shot back into the sky at speed heading eastwards for the Irish Sea. Branson radioed a distress signal as the capsule hit the sea at nearly 160 km/h. The flotation bags, designed to deploy on impact, tore in the crash and acted as a sea anchor.
“Suddenly we were being dragged across the Irish Sea at 160 km/h, water flooding in. We climbed onto the roof as the capsule started to rise again.”
As the balloon lifted, Lindstrand bailed out into the sea from 18 metres. Branson stayed aboard, trying to land the balloon, then jumped into the water on impact. He was rescued by the inshore lifeboat from Portrush RNLI and transferred to a helicopter. “Fortunately, I was picked up and could alert others that Per was still in the sea,” he said. Lindstrand, after over two hours in the water, was rescued by Portrush locals in a fast rib.
Reunited in a Royal Navy helicopter, the pair were flown to a hospital in Kilmarnock, 27 kilometres south of Glasgow. The pressurised gondola drifted on in strong winds before crashing into the sea around 7:00 pm, three kilometres from the Mull of Kintyre.
THE RECORD
Though Branson and Lindstrand were later awarded the transatlantic ballooning record, they were initially unsure they had met the strict criteria set by the International Aeronautical Federation, which required the balloon to land intact on land or fresh water.
A button meant to release the capsule for landing failed. “I’m not sure whether we got the record or not,” Branson said during a press conference from his hospital bed. Branson later told a BBC reporter: “It wasn’t initially an emergency. We got stuck over northern Ireland above a low cloud base.” “We did sort of touch down briefly in Ireland, but anyway, it’s not that important to us anymore.”
Despite Branson’s remarks, the Virgin Flight Team quickly asserted their claim. Flight director Chris Moss stated, “There are groove marks in a field, and at that stage, Per and Richard were on board. On that basis… we are claiming a transatlantic record.” Their claim was ultimately upheld and officially recognised by Guinness World Records.
FURTHER FLIGHTS
Branson and Lindstrand teamed up again in 1991 to become the first to cross the Pacific Ocean in a hot air balloon. They flew 10,782 kilometres from Japan to Canada in 47 hours, reaching speeds up to 394 km/h and setting a new world distance record.
In the years that followed, Branson made several attempts to fly around the world by balloon. However, the first successful circumnavigation came in 1999, when Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones completed the journey in the Breitling Orbiter.
Check out our story of the World’s First Aviation Accident – 1785 Tullamore, Ireland
Sources of Information and Photo Credits:
Aircraft & Warplanes
Guinness World Records
Los Angeles Times
Northeast Historic Film – WLBZ Collection
Sandy Gall Collection
Steve Dawson – air traffic control recordings
The Lighter Than Air Society
Virgin Balloon Flights
If you have a story to share, email Kevin Reid [email protected]
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