A hot air balloon pilot slid into a pwrline after landing. There was minimal damage and no injury.

Attributes
ACN	223262
Time
Date	199210
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mgw
State Reference	WV
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	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 47 flight time type : 47
ASRS Report	223262
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During an evening balloon flight near morgantown, wv, I approached a grassy field with the intent to land. The field was a cut lawn which led uphill to the landowner's house. Having already noticed other pwrlines leading to the house, I failed to notice the lines in the middle of the field. The grayish/green pwrlines were nearly invisible against the grassy backgnd. I successfully landed the balloon, however after landing the momentum of the balloon lead to contact with 1 pwrline. My passenger and I disembarked, and as the balloon deflated it draped over the pwrlines. Some electrical arcing did occur causing an unspecified amount of damage to the balloon. The fire department and ambulance were called to the scene, however, no injuries were sustained by anyone, and no treatment was required. The electrical company was contacted and the power to the lines was shut off. I am unaccustomed to the haphazard pattern of placing pwrlines in this rural area, but should have been more vigilant upon making my landing approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT SLID INTO A PWRLINE AFTER LNDG. THERE WAS MINIMAL DAMAGE AND NO INJURY.

Narrative: DURING AN EVENING BALLOON FLT NEAR MORGANTOWN, WV, I APCHED A GRASSY FIELD WITH THE INTENT TO LAND. THE FIELD WAS A CUT LAWN WHICH LED UPHILL TO THE LANDOWNER'S HOUSE. HAVING ALREADY NOTICED OTHER PWRLINES LEADING TO THE HOUSE, I FAILED TO NOTICE THE LINES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD. THE GRAYISH/GREEN PWRLINES WERE NEARLY INVISIBLE AGAINST THE GRASSY BACKGND. I SUCCESSFULLY LANDED THE BALLOON, HOWEVER AFTER LNDG THE MOMENTUM OF THE BALLOON LEAD TO CONTACT WITH 1 PWRLINE. MY PAX AND I DISEMBARKED, AND AS THE BALLOON DEFLATED IT DRAPED OVER THE PWRLINES. SOME ELECTRICAL ARCING DID OCCUR CAUSING AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON. THE FIRE DEPT AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE, HOWEVER, NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY ANYONE, AND NO TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED. THE ELECTRICAL COMPANY WAS CONTACTED AND THE PWR TO THE LINES WAS SHUT OFF. I AM UNACCUSTOMED TO THE HAPHAZARD PATTERN OF PLACING PWRLINES IN THIS RURAL AREA, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE VIGILANT UPON MAKING MY LNDG APCH.

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.