Pilot of free balloon collided with power lines on landing.

Attributes
ACN	589913
Time
Date	200308
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Windshear
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12.3 flight time total : 342.5 flight time type : 342.5
ASRS Report	589913
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Was in approach to landing for far side of wires at about 75 ft AGL. Hit calm winds and just hung in air approximately 1/2 block from wires over open field. Since we weren't moving, started descent to open field. Strong cold gust of wind lifted balloon from approximately 10 ft AGL and blew into wires. Continued venting would not drop balloon and blew into wires. Had passenger (4) remain in balloon until power company reported lines were off. Stepped out of basket approximately 1 foot to ground. Power company retrieved basket and balloon from wires. Only injuries were sprained back on 1 passenger and second, black eye for pilot from hitting telephone pole. Still had 20 mins to sundown and 1 10 gallon tank of fuel left.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF FREE BALLOON COLLIDED WITH PWR LINES ON LNDG.

Narrative: WAS IN APCH TO LNDG FOR FAR SIDE OF WIRES AT ABOUT 75 FT AGL. HIT CALM WINDS AND JUST HUNG IN AIR APPROX 1/2 BLOCK FROM WIRES OVER OPEN FIELD. SINCE WE WEREN'T MOVING, STARTED DSCNT TO OPEN FIELD. STRONG COLD GUST OF WIND LIFTED BALLOON FROM APPROX 10 FT AGL AND BLEW INTO WIRES. CONTINUED VENTING WOULD NOT DROP BALLOON AND BLEW INTO WIRES. HAD PAX (4) REMAIN IN BALLOON UNTIL PWR COMPANY RPTED LINES WERE OFF. STEPPED OUT OF BASKET APPROX 1 FOOT TO GND. PWR COMPANY RETRIEVED BASKET AND BALLOON FROM WIRES. ONLY INJURIES WERE SPRAINED BACK ON 1 PAX AND SECOND, BLACK EYE FOR PLT FROM HITTING TELEPHONE POLE. STILL HAD 20 MINS TO SUNDOWN AND 1 10 GALLON TANK OF FUEL LEFT.

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.