A balloon pilot encounters a set of power lines while attempting to climb over them. The reporter was engaged in a game called, 'hare and hound race' and had just dropped a 'baggie' at a target placed in proximity of the power lines.

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Attributes
ACN	404300
Time
Date	199805
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : alo
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 1 flight time total : 582 flight time type : 582
ASRS Report	404300
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Participating in a hare and hound hot air balloon race. The hare balloon had landed and placed an 'X' (target) behind his basket, which was located approximately 270 ft from one set of power lines and approximately 390 ft from another set of power lines. While dropping in on the target and burning, I threw my baggie at the target. I kept burning to climb over the power lines. While paralleling one set of power lines a gust of wind took me into the power lines. My first concern was the safety of my passenger. I told my passenger to situation down and try to keep away from the fuel tanks. My next concern was to get the fuel shut off. After getting the fuel shut off we slid horizontally along the power lines until we butted up against a pole. From there we waited for the rescue crew. Luckily there were no injuries. The mishap probably could have been prevented by not putting the target so close to the power lines and the participants could have bypassed the target.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BALLOON PLT ENCOUNTERS A SET OF PWR LINES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLB OVER THEM. THE RPTR WAS ENGAGED IN A GAME CALLED, 'HARE AND HOUND RACE' AND HAD JUST DROPPED A 'BAGGIE' AT A TARGET PLACED IN PROX OF THE PWR LINES.

Narrative: PARTICIPATING IN A HARE AND HOUND HOT AIR BALLOON RACE. THE HARE BALLOON HAD LANDED AND PLACED AN 'X' (TARGET) BEHIND HIS BASKET, WHICH WAS LOCATED APPROX 270 FT FROM ONE SET OF PWR LINES AND APPROX 390 FT FROM ANOTHER SET OF PWR LINES. WHILE DROPPING IN ON THE TARGET AND BURNING, I THREW MY BAGGIE AT THE TARGET. I KEPT BURNING TO CLB OVER THE PWR LINES. WHILE PARALLELING ONE SET OF PWR LINES A GUST OF WIND TOOK ME INTO THE PWR LINES. MY FIRST CONCERN WAS THE SAFETY OF MY PAX. I TOLD MY PAX TO SIT DOWN AND TRY TO KEEP AWAY FROM THE FUEL TANKS. MY NEXT CONCERN WAS TO GET THE FUEL SHUT OFF. AFTER GETTING THE FUEL SHUT OFF WE SLID HORIZLY ALONG THE PWR LINES UNTIL WE BUTTED UP AGAINST A POLE. FROM THERE WE WAITED FOR THE RESCUE CREW. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MISHAP PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY NOT PUTTING THE TARGET SO CLOSE TO THE PWR LINES AND THE PARTICIPANTS COULD HAVE BYPASSED THE TARGET.

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.