Narrative:

In preparation for a morning flight on sep/sat/05; I called the FSS in mcallister; ok; to get a WX briefing. The briefing indicated conditions were good for morning flts. After meeting the crew and passenger; we proceeded to launch site. The inflation and liftoff were uneventful with winds of about 5 mph. The flight proceeded for about 45 mins in a northerly direction at an altitude of about 1800 ft AGL. At about XA30; I contacted my ground crew as to wind conditions on the surface. I was told that the wind conditions had picked up to approximately 10-12 mph. I proceeded to descend in preparation for landing in an open field. All passenger had been briefed on proper pre landing procedures. I observed there were power lines running north/south along the east side of the site. I did not observe any east/west power lines. There was a row of trees running east along a property line at the south end. These trees posed the last observed obstacle to my landing in the field. As I descended over the tree line; I observed a line of power lines running east on the north side of the trees. I added heat to arrest my descent. I was too close and moving too fast. I was unable to gain altitude to avoid striking the power lines. The lower part of the basket caught on the top 2 power lines. The power lines stretched out about 5 ft causing the basket to tilt at about 60 degrees. At this point the basket slipped off the power lines. I heard a popping sound as though the power lines had hit each other after releasing the basket. The basket proceeded to brush through another tree. I had intended to use this tree to slow my forward motion. After slipping through the tree; I vented heat from the balloon and landed in the field without further incident. Passenger nor crew incurred any injuries. The ground crew arrived. We packed up and left the location.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT AND PAX ABOARD HOT AIR BALLOON STRIKE PWR LINES ON LNDG APCH.

Narrative: IN PREPARATION FOR A MORNING FLT ON SEP/SAT/05; I CALLED THE FSS IN MCALLISTER; OK; TO GET A WX BRIEFING. THE BRIEFING INDICATED CONDITIONS WERE GOOD FOR MORNING FLTS. AFTER MEETING THE CREW AND PAX; WE PROCEEDED TO LAUNCH SITE. THE INFLATION AND LIFTOFF WERE UNEVENTFUL WITH WINDS OF ABOUT 5 MPH. THE FLT PROCEEDED FOR ABOUT 45 MINS IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 1800 FT AGL. AT ABOUT XA30; I CONTACTED MY GND CREW AS TO WIND CONDITIONS ON THE SURFACE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE WIND CONDITIONS HAD PICKED UP TO APPROX 10-12 MPH. I PROCEEDED TO DSND IN PREPARATION FOR LNDG IN AN OPEN FIELD. ALL PAX HAD BEEN BRIEFED ON PROPER PRE LNDG PROCS. I OBSERVED THERE WERE PWR LINES RUNNING N/S ALONG THE E SIDE OF THE SITE. I DID NOT OBSERVE ANY E/W PWR LINES. THERE WAS A ROW OF TREES RUNNING E ALONG A PROPERTY LINE AT THE S END. THESE TREES POSED THE LAST OBSERVED OBSTACLE TO MY LNDG IN THE FIELD. AS I DSNDED OVER THE TREE LINE; I OBSERVED A LINE OF PWR LINES RUNNING E ON THE N SIDE OF THE TREES. I ADDED HEAT TO ARREST MY DSCNT. I WAS TOO CLOSE AND MOVING TOO FAST. I WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ALT TO AVOID STRIKING THE PWR LINES. THE LOWER PART OF THE BASKET CAUGHT ON THE TOP 2 PWR LINES. THE PWR LINES STRETCHED OUT ABOUT 5 FT CAUSING THE BASKET TO TILT AT ABOUT 60 DEGS. AT THIS POINT THE BASKET SLIPPED OFF THE PWR LINES. I HEARD A POPPING SOUND AS THOUGH THE PWR LINES HAD HIT EACH OTHER AFTER RELEASING THE BASKET. THE BASKET PROCEEDED TO BRUSH THROUGH ANOTHER TREE. I HAD INTENDED TO USE THIS TREE TO SLOW MY FORWARD MOTION. AFTER SLIPPING THROUGH THE TREE; I VENTED HEAT FROM THE BALLOON AND LANDED IN THE FIELD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. PAX NOR CREW INCURRED ANY INJURIES. THE GND CREW ARRIVED. WE PACKED UP AND LEFT THE LOCATION.

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.