Nepal: Hot-Air Balloon Spins Out of Control Before Emergency Landing in Pokhara, Video Goes Viral (WATCH)

A hot-air balloon pilot handled a mid-air emergency over Pokhara, Nepal, and landed safely in a rice field. Viral footage shows the balloon spinning and descending rapidly before the pilot steered it away from hazards. All passengers escaped unharmed.

In what was an aerial ordeal captured entirely on camera, veteran hot-air balloon pilot Mehmet Nuri Sen navigated a terrifying mid-air malfunction over Nepal’s Pokhara, bringing the runaway aircraft down to a safe landing on Monday, November 9.

In a video that went viral on social media, a hot-air balloon was seen spinning violently and dropping rapidly toward the ground, leaving spectators watching in terror as the envelope lost pressure and began collapsing. However, the pilot regained control of the stricken aircraft seconds before impact, skillfully guiding it away from populated residential areas.

Mehmet Nuri Sen has apparently instructed passengers to prepare for an emergency landing as the aircraft drifted towards power lines. All passengers escaped unharmed and the pilot’s skillful handling of the emergency ensured the hot-air balloon landed safely in a rice field in Pokhara, Nepal.

How Did the Incident Unfold?

Nepal’s Pokhara is often known for its stunning aerial views and thriving adventure tourism sector, attracting thousands of tourists and thrill-seekers every year to experience sunrise flights over the Annapurna mountain range and Phewa Lake.

However, Pokhara witnessed an unexpected and near-catastrophic accident when the recreational flight experienced a sudden technical glitch and erratic wind shear, which triggered a sudden loss of vertical stability and forced the pilot into immediate evasive action to protect everyone on board.

The Turkish pilot, Mehmet Nuri Sen, used his extensive years of experience to manipulate burners and adjust the venting system, neutralizing the rapid descent and stabilizing the balloon moments before touchdown.

😱 Breathtaking footage from Nepal: Pilot safely lands an out-of-control hot-air balloon

Hot-air balloon pilot Mehmet Nuri Şen faced a dangerous situation when his balloon went out of control.

Despite the danger, he managed to skillfully land the balloon and avert a potential disaster. The dramatic footage looks like something straight out of an adventure movie. https://t.co/Qk5D5Sbhxr

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 10, 2026

All the passengers who were on board escaped unhurt as the Turkish pilot safely landed the balloon in the muddy rice paddy, where local villagers and ground crew quickly arrived to help secure the equipment and guide the relieved tourists out of the basket.

The passengers initially panicked after the hot-air balloon lost control, but Mehmet Nuri Sen’s calm approach in managing the crisis reassured everyone and prevented panic from escalating into a dangerous situation while airborne.

Netizens Divided Over Hot-Air Balloon’s Emergency Landing

The viral video of the hot-air balloon’s emergency landing in Nepal’s Pokhara has triggered mixed reactions on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), with several users praising the pilot’s handling of the landing, while others questioned whether the balloon was actually out of control.

Taking to their X handles, several users praised Mehmet Nuri Sen for safely landing the balloon, with some calling his piloting skills ‘incredible ', while others called the landing ‘textbook’. A few users also questioned the description of the balloon as ‘out of control’, with one commenter suggesting that the footage showed a normal hot-air balloon ride and landing.

Another section of users said they would not want to experience a hot-air balloon ride, with some describing the incident as dangerous and expressing doubts about how much control a pilot has over a balloon.

@nexta_tv Incredible skill from the pilot keeping everyone safe on that landing.

— Matthew Nicoletti (@MatthewPDC) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv Wow! Incredible piloting skills! Would have been a very fun ride!

— ⌱ ᑭo℘ᑭʏ ✠ (@Xeno__Poppy__) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv As a balloon pilot i can say this was a text book landing. The ground crew got to where he wanted to put down but was unable to pull it in due to the wind. The pilot carried on and landed safely.

— CaptainKangaroo (@CaptainK1982) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv Badass and a hero💪🏽

— Just Thomas (@BIG_SGT_D) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv Why do you think this balloon is out of control? What you see here is the normal way to ride a balloon and also the normal way to land one. The way the pilot acts is simply the way to control the balloon. Nothing special going on here. I was in a balloon once, went just like this

— Hug ⭕️ (@huug_s) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv Amazing skills, well done. He saved people’s lives. ❤️👍🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

— Helen (@MexicanHabibi0) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv Well handled 👏🏼👏🏼

— Vandana (@Vandana61637949) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv I feel safer on the ground with everything in tact.

— Luis Aguilar (@bornagain7676) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv A REAL PRO, GREAT JOB BRO 👍👍👍👍

— jerzeydolphins (@jerzeydolphins) November 11, 2026

@nabilajamal_ Hats off to the Pilot.

— Manav (@manavdas) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv I've little desire to ride a hot air balloon or helicopter 😅

— rotub (@rotub) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv There is such thing like "control" in one of these? 😅

— Chris_'OH-58D/F-14'-SIMP 🇩🇪🇩🇰🇨🇭🎗️ (@Chris_OH58D) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv Looks dangerous by the way .

— Bitget Wallet Africa🌍 (@BitgetWalletAF) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv As a balloon pilot i can say this was a text book landing. The ground crew got to where he wanted to put down but was unable to pull it in due to the wind. The pilot carried on and landed safely.

— CaptainKangaroo (@CaptainK1982) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv Why do you think this balloon is out of control? What you see here is the normal way to ride a balloon and also the normal way to land one. The way the pilot acts is simply the way to control the balloon. Nothing special going on here. I was in a balloon once, went just like this

— Hug ⭕️ (@huug_s) November 11, 2026

@nexta_tv Hot-air balloon are in principle out of control vehicles.

— Trimo (@Tropmic) November 11, 2026

Meanwhile, Mehmet Nuri Sen later revealed that the balloon encountered surface winds of 11 knots and a strong downdraft during the flight.

He credited the ground crew’s support, good timing, and his decision to remain calm for the safe landing, adding that ‘staying calm in the sky is just as important as having courage.’