Balloon activity in proximity of terrain obstruction.

Attributes
ACN	210549
Time
Date	199205
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dsm
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 29 flight time type : 29
ASRS Report	210549
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a pleasure flight in my hot air balloon on 5/tue/92 with 1 passenger on board. I landed my hot air balloon 1/2 mi northeast of indianola, ia. In a grass farm field. We were having surface winds at approximately 5-6 mph running 150/170 degrees. A small gust of wind moved my gondola along the ground to the northwest after landing. My ground crew had not yet reached my side when this event occurred. My envelope then came into contact with a power line coming from the street to the farm house. Upon reaching my side the crew attempted to pull my gondola and envelope to the southeast without success. At this time I instructed my crew to stand back and I would deflate my envelope and attempt to disconnect my envelope from the gondola. I disconnected 2 of the 3 connecting points with success. While disconnecting the third support there was a flash and power to the house was lost. There were no injuries and only minimal damage to the balloon. We were able to pack the balloon away without a problem. The power company was notified and power was restored to the home.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BALLOON ACTIVITY IN PROX OF TERRAIN OBSTRUCTION.

Narrative: I WAS ON A PLEASURE FLT IN MY HOT AIR BALLOON ON 5/TUE/92 WITH 1 PAX ON BOARD. I LANDED MY HOT AIR BALLOON 1/2 MI NE OF INDIANOLA, IA. IN A GRASS FARM FIELD. WE WERE HAVING SURFACE WINDS AT APPROX 5-6 MPH RUNNING 150/170 DEGS. A SMALL GUST OF WIND MOVED MY GONDOLA ALONG THE GND TO THE NW AFTER LNDG. MY GND CREW HAD NOT YET REACHED MY SIDE WHEN THIS EVENT OCCURRED. MY ENVELOPE THEN CAME INTO CONTACT WITH A PWR LINE COMING FROM THE STREET TO THE FARM HOUSE. UPON REACHING MY SIDE THE CREW ATTEMPTED TO PULL MY GONDOLA AND ENVELOPE TO THE SE WITHOUT SUCCESS. AT THIS TIME I INSTRUCTED MY CREW TO STAND BACK AND I WOULD DEFLATE MY ENVELOPE AND ATTEMPT TO DISCONNECT MY ENVELOPE FROM THE GONDOLA. I DISCONNECTED 2 OF THE 3 CONNECTING POINTS WITH SUCCESS. WHILE DISCONNECTING THE THIRD SUPPORT THERE WAS A FLASH AND PWR TO THE HOUSE WAS LOST. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND ONLY MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON. WE WERE ABLE TO PACK THE BALLOON AWAY WITHOUT A PROBLEM. THE PWR COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED AND PWR WAS RESTORED TO THE HOME.

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.