Pilot of a hot air balloon struck a power line during an attempted go around after bouncing back up in the air during landing. The reporter received facial burns when the balloon became caught in the wires causing an electrical arcing of the power lines.

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Attributes
ACN	416618
Time
Date	199810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl bound lower : 30 agl bound upper : 30
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing : go around
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 8200 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	416618
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical inflight encounter other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was attempting to land. The balloon bounced to about 4 ft AGL. I elected to take off, but the balloon did not respond as normal due to the density altitude. One wire snapped as I hit 4 power lines and the balloon lodged between the other 3. A carabiner on the uprights contacted a 20 kv line and arced, giving me first degree burns on the face. Classified as an incident by FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A HOT AIR BALLOON STRUCK A PWR LINE DURING AN ATTEMPTED GAR AFTER BOUNCING BACK UP IN THE AIR DURING LNDG. THE RPTR RECEIVED FACIAL BURNS WHEN THE BALLOON BECAME CAUGHT IN THE WIRES CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL ARCING OF THE PWR LINES.

Narrative: I WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND. THE BALLOON BOUNCED TO ABOUT 4 FT AGL. I ELECTED TO TAKE OFF, BUT THE BALLOON DID NOT RESPOND AS NORMAL DUE TO THE DENSITY ALT. ONE WIRE SNAPPED AS I HIT 4 PWR LINES AND THE BALLOON LODGED BTWN THE OTHER 3. A CARABINER ON THE UPRIGHTS CONTACTED A 20 KV LINE AND ARCED, GIVING ME FIRST DEG BURNS ON THE FACE. CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT BY FAA.

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.