Narrative:

Flight takeoff was normal. About 1/2 way through the flight, I encountered turbulence and erratic wind direction changes. I attempted a landing in an open field, but the wind direction changed and landing was not possible. At this time the wind direction was at a 90 degree heading from the normal flight path. This course was towards a mountain ridge which I ascended to clear. Upon crossing the first ridge, I attempted another landing with the same results as the first attempt. Ascending again, I crossed the second ridge and at this time the wind speed accelerated approximately 25-30 mph. I descended into the next valley and began looking for a suitable landing field. Upon locating a large field in my course, I began an approach. At this time I was at the projected length of flight. I had another mountain ridge in my path and a medium sized city on the other side. On approach for my landing, altitude 350 ft, and approximately 1/4 mi from landing, I encountered windshear and lost altitude rapidly. Seeing that it was imminent that I would collide with a set of pwrlines, I vented the balloon to facilitate a landing before the lines, as there was no possibility of clearing them. The balloon struck them at approximately the equator of the envelope and the lines separated. The wind speed and momentum continued to move the balloon and it came to rest suspended on the power pole. The basket was suspended 6 ft AGL. When it was determined that it would be safe to dump free, the passenger and I were able to jump clear with help from an officer. There were no injuries. The aircraft sustained some damage on contact. The balloon was equipped with non conductive cables. I think that the decision to vent and land before the lines so as to not have the basket contact the power lines was the safest approach to this situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON WHILE ATTEMPTING A THIRD LNDG, CONTACTED PWR LINES AND CAME TO REST SUSPENDED ON THE PWR POLE.

Narrative: FLT TKOF WAS NORMAL. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE FLT, I ENCOUNTERED TURB AND ERRATIC WIND DIRECTION CHANGES. I ATTEMPTED A LNDG IN AN OPEN FIELD, BUT THE WIND DIRECTION CHANGED AND LNDG WAS NOT POSSIBLE. AT THIS TIME THE WIND DIRECTION WAS AT A 90 DEG HDG FROM THE NORMAL FLT PATH. THIS COURSE WAS TOWARDS A MOUNTAIN RIDGE WHICH I ASCENDED TO CLR. UPON XING THE FIRST RIDGE, I ATTEMPTED ANOTHER LNDG WITH THE SAME RESULTS AS THE FIRST ATTEMPT. ASCENDING AGAIN, I CROSSED THE SECOND RIDGE AND AT THIS TIME THE WIND SPD ACCELERATED APPROX 25-30 MPH. I DSNDED INTO THE NEXT VALLEY AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR A SUITABLE LNDG FIELD. UPON LOCATING A LARGE FIELD IN MY COURSE, I BEGAN AN APCH. AT THIS TIME I WAS AT THE PROJECTED LENGTH OF FLT. I HAD ANOTHER MOUNTAIN RIDGE IN MY PATH AND A MEDIUM SIZED CITY ON THE OTHER SIDE. ON APCH FOR MY LNDG, ALT 350 FT, AND APPROX 1/4 MI FROM LNDG, I ENCOUNTERED WINDSHEAR AND LOST ALT RAPIDLY. SEEING THAT IT WAS IMMINENT THAT I WOULD COLLIDE WITH A SET OF PWRLINES, I VENTED THE BALLOON TO FACILITATE A LNDG BEFORE THE LINES, AS THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OF CLRING THEM. THE BALLOON STRUCK THEM AT APPROX THE EQUATOR OF THE ENVELOPE AND THE LINES SEPARATED. THE WIND SPD AND MOMENTUM CONTINUED TO MOVE THE BALLOON AND IT CAME TO REST SUSPENDED ON THE PWR POLE. THE BASKET WAS SUSPENDED 6 FT AGL. WHEN IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DUMP FREE, THE PAX AND I WERE ABLE TO JUMP CLR WITH HELP FROM AN OFFICER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE ACFT SUSTAINED SOME DAMAGE ON CONTACT. THE BALLOON WAS EQUIPPED WITH NON CONDUCTIVE CABLES. I THINK THAT THE DECISION TO VENT AND LAND BEFORE THE LINES SO AS TO NOT HAVE THE BASKET CONTACT THE PWR LINES WAS THE SAFEST APCH TO THIS SIT.

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.