The pilot of a commercial balloon operation lifted off when the ground crew let go too soon and deciding that the balloon was not going to clear some power lines the pilot opened the vent. The balloon settled with the envelope draping over the power lines which arced causing one of them to break. Balloon works firefly 8B.

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Attributes
ACN	364769
Time
Date	199703
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : okc
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 685 flight time type : 685
ASRS Report	364769
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Crews launched 1 balloon in approximately 8 KT winds. Then we began to inflate second balloon. All seemed to go well. Later the crew reported seeing the balloon suddenly lift and then resettle. Pilot did not observe this phenomena as she was under the balloon pulling out fabric. As balloon came upright, it lifted immediately into the air before buoyancy was attained. Crew, thinking pilot had done this did not put weight on to hold the balloon down. Pilot became convinced the balloon was not going to lift enough to miss the downwind power lines. Pilot ripped out and draped the envelope over the power line. There was arcing when one of the power lines broke. Fortunately there was no injury to pilot or passenger and minimal damage to the balloon in the lower panels. None higher than panel 3.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PLT OF A COMMERCIAL BALLOON OP LIFTED OFF WHEN THE GND CREW LET GO TOO SOON AND DECIDING THAT THE BALLOON WAS NOT GOING TO CLR SOME PWR LINES THE PLT OPENED THE VENT. THE BALLOON SETTLED WITH THE ENVELOPE DRAPING OVER THE PWR LINES WHICH ARCED CAUSING ONE OF THEM TO BREAK. BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY 8B.

Narrative: CREWS LAUNCHED 1 BALLOON IN APPROX 8 KT WINDS. THEN WE BEGAN TO INFLATE SECOND BALLOON. ALL SEEMED TO GO WELL. LATER THE CREW RPTED SEEING THE BALLOON SUDDENLY LIFT AND THEN RESETTLE. PLT DID NOT OBSERVE THIS PHENOMENA AS SHE WAS UNDER THE BALLOON PULLING OUT FABRIC. AS BALLOON CAME UPRIGHT, IT LIFTED IMMEDIATELY INTO THE AIR BEFORE BUOYANCY WAS ATTAINED. CREW, THINKING PLT HAD DONE THIS DID NOT PUT WT ON TO HOLD THE BALLOON DOWN. PLT BECAME CONVINCED THE BALLOON WAS NOT GOING TO LIFT ENOUGH TO MISS THE DOWNWIND PWR LINES. PLT RIPPED OUT AND DRAPED THE ENVELOPE OVER THE PWR LINE. THERE WAS ARCING WHEN ONE OF THE PWR LINES BROKE. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO INJURY TO PLT OR PAX AND MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON IN THE LOWER PANELS. NONE HIGHER THAN PANEL 3.

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.