Narrative:

I was preparing to launch my balloon from a field I had launched from many times during training and afterward. The weather was ceiling broken 10 miles visibility with very light winds on the surface and calm winds forecast for 3;000 ft. I had gotten a briefing from FSS 1 hour earlier. Before laying out the balloon; I released a 'pibal' to check the winds. It rose straight up to about 100 ft and then drifted on a heading of 020 degrees. The layout and inflation went without incident. As the balloon was standing up and I was giving final instructions to the chase crew; a gust of wind blew causing false lift and bringing the basket off the ground a few feet. As it settled it left some slack in the tie-off quick release system rope. At the time I did not recognize it as false lift and thought the balloon was at equilibrium and ready to launch. At this time another stronger gust lifted the balloon off the ground and the tie-off point (top chrome rail) on my truck gave way and the balloon started moving downfield. I was yelling at one crew member to release the basket as he was being dragged along the ground. After he released; I ascended to about 10-15 ft. The power lines were approximately 30-40 yards away at this point and I chose to burn and lift over them. They were residential lines about 50 ft up. As I saw I was not going to make it over the lines and it was too late to rip the top out; I laid down in the basket; and stayed there through impact. The envelope draped across the lines with the basket hanging about 25 ft off the ground. After the first and second group of sparks; I tested one of the tanks with the back of my hand and proceeded to shut the fuel lines off. The basket worked its way to the ground; I was told; over a period of 5 minutes. When the basket touched the ground; I jumped out unharmed. The improper choice of tying off to the truck rail was the biggest factor in this accident. There were a few panels burned on the balloon and no other damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Balloon pilot reports contacting power lines during inflation when wind gust causes balloon to drift after mooring line becomes detached from truck. Craft is damaged but no injuries are reported.

Narrative: I was preparing to launch my balloon from a field I had launched from many times during training and afterward. The weather was ceiling broken 10 miles visibility with very light winds on the surface and calm winds forecast for 3;000 FT. I had gotten a briefing from FSS 1 hour earlier. Before laying out the balloon; I released a 'pibal' to check the winds. It rose straight up to about 100 FT and then drifted on a heading of 020 degrees. The layout and inflation went without incident. As the balloon was standing up and I was giving final instructions to the chase crew; a gust of wind blew causing false lift and bringing the basket off the ground a few feet. As it settled it left some slack in the tie-off quick release system rope. At the time I did not recognize it as false lift and thought the balloon was at equilibrium and ready to launch. At this time another stronger gust lifted the balloon off the ground and the tie-off point (top chrome rail) on my truck gave way and the balloon started moving downfield. I was yelling at one crew member to release the basket as he was being dragged along the ground. After he released; I ascended to about 10-15 FT. The power lines were approximately 30-40 yards away at this point and I chose to burn and lift over them. They were residential lines about 50 FT up. As I saw I was not going to make it over the lines and it was too late to rip the top out; I laid down in the basket; and stayed there through impact. The envelope draped across the lines with the basket hanging about 25 FT off the ground. After the first and second group of sparks; I tested one of the tanks with the back of my hand and proceeded to shut the fuel lines off. The basket worked its way to the ground; I was told; over a period of 5 minutes. When the basket touched the ground; I jumped out unharmed. The improper choice of tying off to the truck rail was the biggest factor in this accident. There were a few panels burned on the balloon and no other damage.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.