Narrative:

Low approach to landing, and premature venting before 'entire landing site' was visible. Discovered danger as edge of tree line is being cleared. Corrective action -- don't start final descent until every portion of landing site is visible. After 1 hour flight, with 30 minutes before sunset and 40 minutes of fuel left, 2 crew persons as passenger were rebriefed on landing. With 4-5 KT winds, remained at low altitude approximately 50 ft above tree tops. Approaching another field with no apparent obstructions, dropped to almost tree top level until approaching edge of field. Had just vented for final drop to surface, when power lines hidden by tree line appeared about 40 ft from edge of trees and 10 ft below tree tops. Burned long to ascend, but descent carried balloon basket below level of lines. Cleared trees, but as heat took effect, looked like contact would occur at basket or between basket and envelop. Called out, 'not going to clear, brace for landing!' and vented maximum. Mid envelope touched wires with basket 1 foot from ground and slid down to ground softly. No arcing, but wind draped envelope over lines. As system stabilized, check passenger if okay, and told to stand on basket and jump clear. So no contact between system and ground, and keep spectators clear. Check all propane valves off, and exit same way. Had neighbor call power company while pilot and crew perform crowd control to keep back from area. Called 911 and reported balloon on wires. Emergency services arrive, inform them of kevlar cables in system, and polyester envelope so no apparent conductors to ground, but keep everyone clear, and all propane system off. Medical reports at scene filled out and no care required. Power turned off to house, 2ND envelope recovered. No injuries to balloon occupants or ground persons, no damage to ground or aircraft. Excellent care provided by all services involved. Reported to sheriff's office for copy of pilot's license which was faxed to FAA office. Contacted FAA night duty person, and advised they had all information for incident and no additional report required.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON HIT A PWRLINE.

Narrative: LOW APCH TO LNDG, AND PREMATURE VENTING BEFORE 'ENTIRE LNDG SITE' WAS VISIBLE. DISCOVERED DANGER AS EDGE OF TREE LINE IS BEING CLRED. CORRECTIVE ACTION -- DON'T START FINAL DSCNT UNTIL EVERY PORTION OF LNDG SITE IS VISIBLE. AFTER 1 HR FLT, WITH 30 MINUTES BEFORE SUNSET AND 40 MINUTES OF FUEL LEFT, 2 CREW PERSONS AS PAX WERE REBRIEFED ON LNDG. WITH 4-5 KT WINDS, REMAINED AT LOW ALT APPROX 50 FT ABOVE TREE TOPS. APCHING ANOTHER FIELD WITH NO APPARENT OBSTRUCTIONS, DROPPED TO ALMOST TREE TOP LEVEL UNTIL APCHING EDGE OF FIELD. HAD JUST VENTED FOR FINAL DROP TO SURFACE, WHEN PWR LINES HIDDEN BY TREE LINE APPEARED ABOUT 40 FT FROM EDGE OF TREES AND 10 FT BELOW TREE TOPS. BURNED LONG TO ASCEND, BUT DSCNT CARRIED BALLOON BASKET BELOW LEVEL OF LINES. CLRED TREES, BUT AS HEAT TOOK EFFECT, LOOKED LIKE CONTACT WOULD OCCUR AT BASKET OR BTWN BASKET AND ENVELOP. CALLED OUT, 'NOT GOING TO CLR, BRACE FOR LNDG!' AND VENTED MAX. MID ENVELOPE TOUCHED WIRES WITH BASKET 1 FOOT FROM GND AND SLID DOWN TO GND SOFTLY. NO ARCING, BUT WIND DRAPED ENVELOPE OVER LINES. AS SYS STABILIZED, CHK PAX IF OKAY, AND TOLD TO STAND ON BASKET AND JUMP CLR. SO NO CONTACT BTWN SYS AND GND, AND KEEP SPECTATORS CLR. CHK ALL PROPANE VALVES OFF, AND EXIT SAME WAY. HAD NEIGHBOR CALL PWR COMPANY WHILE PLT AND CREW PERFORM CROWD CTL TO KEEP BACK FROM AREA. CALLED 911 AND RPTED BALLOON ON WIRES. EMER SVCS ARRIVE, INFORM THEM OF KEVLAR CABLES IN SYS, AND POLYESTER ENVELOPE SO NO APPARENT CONDUCTORS TO GND, BUT KEEP EVERYONE CLR, AND ALL PROPANE SYS OFF. MEDICAL RPTS AT SCENE FILLED OUT AND NO CARE REQUIRED. PWR TURNED OFF TO HOUSE, 2ND ENVELOPE RECOVERED. NO INJURIES TO BALLOON OCCUPANTS OR GND PERSONS, NO DAMAGE TO GND OR ACFT. EXCELLENT CARE PROVIDED BY ALL SVCS INVOLVED. RPTED TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR COPY OF PLT'S LICENSE WHICH WAS FAXED TO FAA OFFICE. CONTACTED FAA NIGHT DUTY PERSON, AND ADVISED THEY HAD ALL INFO FOR INCIDENT AND NO ADDITIONAL RPT REQUIRED.

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.