Narrative:

On the evening of apr/xa/01, I was conducting a routine flight of my hot air balloon. I launched my balloon from hollywood, wv, at approximately XA00. Conditions were good with clear skies and VFR conditions. I contacted the elkins FSS for standard WX briefing. Upon obtaining a favorable forecast, I launched with only myself on board and was headed on a course of approximately 150 degrees, wind speed of 5-6 mph. The flight was routine and everything was going well. I felt the wind speed pick up as I approached my choice for a landing area in a large horse pasture. I was burning to obtain altitude to clear an approaching pwrline. I realized I was not going to have time to clear the pwrline with the balloon. I then followed recognized procedure to rip out the parachute top to cause the balloon to land short of contact with the pwrline and fence line. I made a soft landing with no problem until the wind carried the envelope of my balloon over the pwrline. I, at that point, knew the balloon could be electrically charged and I jumped clear of the basket with no problem. I radioed to my chase crew of my location and the fact I had landed safely, but had a problem with the balloon contacting the pwrline and was going to need assistance from the power company to make the line and help me recover my envelope from the pwrline. I, at that point, made an error in judgement and approached the basket to shut down the instruments. When I reached to shut off the switches, I was hit with a charge from the line. I was knocked to the ground and stunned but I felt ok -- other than some numbness in my left arm. A doctor was on the scene and she checked me and advised that I should go to the hospital for tests and observation. I agreed to do so, and upon freeing my balloon from the pwrline, I went to the hospital. I was ok upon examination and released.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BALLOON PLT HIT HIGH TENSION PWR LINES.

Narrative: ON THE EVENING OF APR/XA/01, I WAS CONDUCTING A ROUTINE FLT OF MY HOT AIR BALLOON. I LAUNCHED MY BALLOON FROM HOLLYWOOD, WV, AT APPROX XA00. CONDITIONS WERE GOOD WITH CLR SKIES AND VFR CONDITIONS. I CONTACTED THE ELKINS FSS FOR STANDARD WX BRIEFING. UPON OBTAINING A FAVORABLE FORECAST, I LAUNCHED WITH ONLY MYSELF ON BOARD AND WAS HEADED ON A COURSE OF APPROX 150 DEGS, WIND SPD OF 5-6 MPH. THE FLT WAS ROUTINE AND EVERYTHING WAS GOING WELL. I FELT THE WIND SPD PICK UP AS I APCHED MY CHOICE FOR A LNDG AREA IN A LARGE HORSE PASTURE. I WAS BURNING TO OBTAIN ALT TO CLR AN APCHING PWRLINE. I REALIZED I WAS NOT GOING TO HAVE TIME TO CLR THE PWRLINE WITH THE BALLOON. I THEN FOLLOWED RECOGNIZED PROC TO RIP OUT THE PARACHUTE TOP TO CAUSE THE BALLOON TO LAND SHORT OF CONTACT WITH THE PWRLINE AND FENCE LINE. I MADE A SOFT LNDG WITH NO PROB UNTIL THE WIND CARRIED THE ENVELOPE OF MY BALLOON OVER THE PWRLINE. I, AT THAT POINT, KNEW THE BALLOON COULD BE ELECTRICALLY CHARGED AND I JUMPED CLR OF THE BASKET WITH NO PROB. I RADIOED TO MY CHASE CREW OF MY LOCATION AND THE FACT I HAD LANDED SAFELY, BUT HAD A PROB WITH THE BALLOON CONTACTING THE PWRLINE AND WAS GOING TO NEED ASSISTANCE FROM THE PWR COMPANY TO MAKE THE LINE AND HELP ME RECOVER MY ENVELOPE FROM THE PWRLINE. I, AT THAT POINT, MADE AN ERROR IN JUDGEMENT AND APCHED THE BASKET TO SHUT DOWN THE INSTS. WHEN I REACHED TO SHUT OFF THE SWITCHES, I WAS HIT WITH A CHARGE FROM THE LINE. I WAS KNOCKED TO THE GND AND STUNNED BUT I FELT OK -- OTHER THAN SOME NUMBNESS IN MY L ARM. A DOCTOR WAS ON THE SCENE AND SHE CHKED ME AND ADVISED THAT I SHOULD GO TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TESTS AND OBSERVATION. I AGREED TO DO SO, AND UPON FREEING MY BALLOON FROM THE PWRLINE, I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL. I WAS OK UPON EXAMINATION AND RELEASED.

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.