A tether line holding a hot air balloon broke injuring 3 people.

Attributes
ACN	287238
Time
Date	199410
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I do not consider this an aircraft accident? I had tethered a hot air balloon for about an hour. The wind had been 5-6 KTS we got a gust of wind and decided to terminate the tether operation. While on the ground and deflating the balloon, a tether rope got caught on the car bumper. This cut the rope and caused it to break. The rope hit 3 people when it snapped. 1 was on the ground and 2 were standing in the 2BASKET. The rescue squad was called and took all 3 people to an emergency room where they were checked over and released to go home. There was no damage to the balloon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TETHER LINE HOLDING A HOT AIR BALLOON BROKE INJURING 3 PEOPLE.

Narrative: I DO NOT CONSIDER THIS AN ACFT ACCIDENT? I HAD TETHERED A HOT AIR BALLOON FOR ABOUT AN HR. THE WIND HAD BEEN 5-6 KTS WE GOT A GUST OF WIND AND DECIDED TO TERMINATE THE TETHER OP. WHILE ON THE GND AND DEFLATING THE BALLOON, A TETHER ROPE GOT CAUGHT ON THE CAR BUMPER. THIS CUT THE ROPE AND CAUSED IT TO BREAK. THE ROPE HIT 3 PEOPLE WHEN IT SNAPPED. 1 WAS ON THE GND AND 2 WERE STANDING IN THE 2BASKET. THE RESCUE SQUAD WAS CALLED AND TOOK ALL 3 PEOPLE TO AN EMER ROOM WHERE THEY WERE CHKED OVER AND RELEASED TO GO HOME. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON.

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.