Balloon activity manned goes awry after wind shift drifts balloon into pwrlines.

Attributes
ACN	208467
Time
Date	199204
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	208467
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Had several FSS reports throughout afternoon as well as monitoring of NOAA WX radio conditions from FSS last time reported calm to 6 mph on surface. 2 pibol balloons were launched about 10 mins apart when I met pilot at approximately XA30 pm. Both pibols went east to about 500 ft. Selected launch site west of town in an undeveloped subdivision. Put up another pibol at approximately xbpm. Again balloon went east. Pilot proceeded to inflate hot air balloon with quick release tied off to his vehicle. Balloon was inflated approximately 100 yards south of an east/west row of pwrlines. After inflation, pilot loaded 2 passenger, briefed crew and released quick release. As balloon lifted, it started heading east, then started drifting north from a 90 degree wind shift from the south. Balloon started heading for pwrlines, pilot ripped out top of balloon and landed. Balloon envelope made contact with pwrlines as it deflated causing 1 line to make contact with another. An arc caused minimal damage to 2 panels of balloon. No injuries occurred. No damage to pwrlines. No property damage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BALLOON ACTIVITY MANNED GOES AWRY AFTER WIND SHIFT DRIFTS BALLOON INTO PWRLINES.

Narrative: HAD SEVERAL FSS RPTS THROUGHOUT AFTERNOON AS WELL AS MONITORING OF NOAA WX RADIO CONDITIONS FROM FSS LAST TIME RPTED CALM TO 6 MPH ON SURFACE. 2 PIBOL BALLOONS WERE LAUNCHED ABOUT 10 MINS APART WHEN I MET PLT AT APPROX XA30 PM. BOTH PIBOLS WENT E TO ABOUT 500 FT. SELECTED LAUNCH SITE W OF TOWN IN AN UNDEVELOPED SUBDIVISION. PUT UP ANOTHER PIBOL AT APPROX XBPM. AGAIN BALLOON WENT E. PLT PROCEEDED TO INFLATE HOT AIR BALLOON WITH QUICK RELEASE TIED OFF TO HIS VEHICLE. BALLOON WAS INFLATED APPROX 100 YARDS S OF AN E/W ROW OF PWRLINES. AFTER INFLATION, PLT LOADED 2 PAX, BRIEFED CREW AND RELEASED QUICK RELEASE. AS BALLOON LIFTED, IT STARTED HDG E, THEN STARTED DRIFTING N FROM A 90 DEG WIND SHIFT FROM THE S. BALLOON STARTED HDG FOR PWRLINES, PLT RIPPED OUT TOP OF BALLOON AND LANDED. BALLOON ENVELOPE MADE CONTACT WITH PWRLINES AS IT DEFLATED CAUSING 1 LINE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER. AN ARC CAUSED MINIMAL DAMAGE TO 2 PANELS OF BALLOON. NO INJURIES OCCURRED. NO DAMAGE TO PWRLINES. NO PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.