Narrative:

Launched hot air balloon, winds 5 KTS, temperature 35 degrees F. On climb out of launch field, pilot turned to adjust radio, turned to face direction of travel, realized rate of climb might not be sufficient to clear power lines. Pilot vented hot air from balloon, landed 20 ft short of power lines. Momentum of envelope continued after basket touched down, carrying envelope only into contact with power lines. There were no injuries, power was not interrupted, there was damage to 1 panel of balloon fabric. Factors contributing: 1) pilot inattn. 2) low fuel system pressure caused by low ambient temperature. Suggestions to prevent a recurrence: 1) pilot must always be aware of flight attitude of aircraft. 2) special care should be taken when flying a propane pwred hot air balloon when temperatures are low enough to cause a lower than normal fuel system pressure. 3) during training, I was taught the phrase 'when in doubt, rip it out' in relation to reacting to a possible power line strike. I firmly believe that this phrase, which speeded my reaction time, saved myself and the aircraft from a more dangerous ending to this incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was flying a firefly 7B hot air balloon from columbia college, roughly 5 mi north of osage beach airport, K15. The reporter has a private certificate. The fabric damage was minor, caused by arcing of the power lines. The reporter has not heard from the FAA on this incident. He promises to pay more attention to his aerostat after liftoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON HIT PWR LINES AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: LAUNCHED HOT AIR BALLOON, WINDS 5 KTS, TEMP 35 DEGS F. ON CLBOUT OF LAUNCH FIELD, PLT TURNED TO ADJUST RADIO, TURNED TO FACE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, REALIZED RATE OF CLB MIGHT NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO CLR PWR LINES. PLT VENTED HOT AIR FROM BALLOON, LANDED 20 FT SHORT OF PWR LINES. MOMENTUM OF ENVELOPE CONTINUED AFTER BASKET TOUCHED DOWN, CARRYING ENVELOPE ONLY INTO CONTACT WITH PWR LINES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, PWR WAS NOT INTERRUPTED, THERE WAS DAMAGE TO 1 PANEL OF BALLOON FABRIC. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING: 1) PLT INATTN. 2) LOW FUEL SYS PRESSURE CAUSED BY LOW AMBIENT TEMP. SUGGESTIONS TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE: 1) PLT MUST ALWAYS BE AWARE OF FLT ATTITUDE OF ACFT. 2) SPECIAL CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN FLYING A PROPANE PWRED HOT AIR BALLOON WHEN TEMPS ARE LOW ENOUGH TO CAUSE A LOWER THAN NORMAL FUEL SYS PRESSURE. 3) DURING TRAINING, I WAS TAUGHT THE PHRASE 'WHEN IN DOUBT, RIP IT OUT' IN RELATION TO REACTING TO A POSSIBLE PWR LINE STRIKE. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THIS PHRASE, WHICH SPEEDED MY REACTION TIME, SAVED MYSELF AND THE ACFT FROM A MORE DANGEROUS ENDING TO THIS INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A FIREFLY 7B HOT AIR BALLOON FROM COLUMBIA COLLEGE, ROUGHLY 5 MI N OF OSAGE BEACH ARPT, K15. THE RPTR HAS A PVT CERTIFICATE. THE FABRIC DAMAGE WAS MINOR, CAUSED BY ARCING OF THE PWR LINES. THE RPTR HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS INCIDENT. HE PROMISES TO PAY MORE ATTN TO HIS AEROSTAT AFTER LIFTOFF.

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.