An instructor and student, in a balloon works, firefly 78, hit electrical wires damaging the balloon...

Attributes
ACN	433907
Time
Date	199904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ozw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 30
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 730
ASRS Report	433907
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

My student was attempting to land in a field beyond wires and trees. He released some hot air to initiate his descent. He released too much and did not add heat soon enough resulting in a steep descent toward the wires. I took over and added heat, but the descent could not be arrested fast enough due to the condition of the balloon fabric. The fabric was 15 yrs old and did not retain heat very well. When it became evident to me that we would not clear the wires, I instructed the student to open the deflation valve for a rapid descent. The balloon struck the wires just prior to our landing resulting in electrical arcing and minor damage to the fabric about 12 ft up from the balloon throat. There were no injuries or damage other than the fabric and my ego. The power company had to reset a circuit breaker that popped due to the arcing. I learned that venting an old, tired balloon requires an immediate addition of hot air to prevent a steep descent. The student and I agreed that his balloon was too porous to be safely flown by a student or anyone else, and decided to retire that envelope and purchase a new one. We also learned that it is safer too pull the top open for a rapid descent than to try and recover near wires.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT, IN A BALLOON WORKS, FIREFLY 78, HIT ELECTRICAL WIRES DAMAGING THE BALLOON ENVELOPE AND OPENING THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE WIRES.

Narrative: MY STUDENT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A FIELD BEYOND WIRES AND TREES. HE RELEASED SOME HOT AIR TO INITIATE HIS DSCNT. HE RELEASED TOO MUCH AND DID NOT ADD HEAT SOON ENOUGH RESULTING IN A STEEP DSCNT TOWARD THE WIRES. I TOOK OVER AND ADDED HEAT, BUT THE DSCNT COULD NOT BE ARRESTED FAST ENOUGH DUE TO THE CONDITION OF THE BALLOON FABRIC. THE FABRIC WAS 15 YRS OLD AND DID NOT RETAIN HEAT VERY WELL. WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT TO ME THAT WE WOULD NOT CLR THE WIRES, I INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO OPEN THE DEFLATION VALVE FOR A RAPID DSCNT. THE BALLOON STRUCK THE WIRES JUST PRIOR TO OUR LNDG RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL ARCING AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FABRIC ABOUT 12 FT UP FROM THE BALLOON THROAT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE OTHER THAN THE FABRIC AND MY EGO. THE PWR COMPANY HAD TO RESET A CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT POPPED DUE TO THE ARCING. I LEARNED THAT VENTING AN OLD, TIRED BALLOON REQUIRES AN IMMEDIATE ADDITION OF HOT AIR TO PREVENT A STEEP DSCNT. THE STUDENT AND I AGREED THAT HIS BALLOON WAS TOO POROUS TO BE SAFELY FLOWN BY A STUDENT OR ANYONE ELSE, AND DECIDED TO RETIRE THAT ENVELOPE AND PURCHASE A NEW ONE. WE ALSO LEARNED THAT IT IS SAFER TOO PULL THE TOP OPEN FOR A RAPID DSCNT THAN TO TRY AND RECOVER NEAR WIRES.

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.

An instructor and student, in a balloon works, firefly 78, hit electrical wires damaging the balloon envelope and opening the circuit breaker for the wires.