Hot air balloon strikes power lines on landing.

Attributes
ACN	663741
Time
Date	200507
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 06r.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 10
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tki.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Route In Use	approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 858 flight time type : 858
ASRS Report	663741
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On landing a hot air balloon; I contacted power lines. Conditions at time of landing and during flight were VFR with visibility greater than 10 mi. Winds were light at landing; approximately 3-4 mph. Probable reason for power line contact was 'target fixation;' that is; focusing on clearing a barbwire fence before landing in an open pasture. On contact with power lines (2 lines; residential services); red line was pulled; fuel tanks were shut off and electrical equipment (instruments; GPS; radio; cell phone was turned off). Balloon envelope slowly and gently deflated over power ines. Crew immediately notified emergency services in belleville; tx; who responded within mins. The envelope gradually pulled the 2 lines together causing an arc that triggered a cutout switch that disconnected power. Utility employees assisted in the safe removal of the envelope from the power lines. The pilot and my passenger were not injured. A subsequent examination of the hot air balloon indicated no damage. The lack of damage was most likely because the point of contact with the power lines was the nomex skirt. This balloon is also equipped with kevlar cables.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON STRIKES PWR LINES ON LNDG.

Narrative: ON LNDG A HOT AIR BALLOON; I CONTACTED PWR LINES. CONDITIONS AT TIME OF LNDG AND DURING FLT WERE VFR WITH VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 10 MI. WINDS WERE LIGHT AT LNDG; APPROX 3-4 MPH. PROBABLE REASON FOR PWR LINE CONTACT WAS 'TARGET FIXATION;' THAT IS; FOCUSING ON CLRING A BARBWIRE FENCE BEFORE LNDG IN AN OPEN PASTURE. ON CONTACT WITH PWR LINES (2 LINES; RESIDENTIAL SVCS); RED LINE WAS PULLED; FUEL TANKS WERE SHUT OFF AND ELECTRICAL EQUIP (INSTS; GPS; RADIO; CELL PHONE WAS TURNED OFF). BALLOON ENVELOPE SLOWLY AND GENTLY DEFLATED OVER PWR INES. CREW IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED EMER SVCS IN BELLEVILLE; TX; WHO RESPONDED WITHIN MINS. THE ENVELOPE GRADUALLY PULLED THE 2 LINES TOGETHER CAUSING AN ARC THAT TRIGGERED A CUTOUT SWITCH THAT DISCONNECTED PWR. UTILITY EMPLOYEES ASSISTED IN THE SAFE REMOVAL OF THE ENVELOPE FROM THE PWR LINES. THE PLT AND MY PAX WERE NOT INJURED. A SUBSEQUENT EXAM OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON INDICATED NO DAMAGE. THE LACK OF DAMAGE WAS MOST LIKELY BECAUSE THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE PWR LINES WAS THE NOMEX SKIRT. THIS BALLOON IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH KEVLAR CABLES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.