Narrative:

Hot air balloon pilot and crew arrived at festival. Five balloons assembled for VFR flight; winds light and variable. Surface winds from 090 degrees up to approximately 100 feet and variable changes approximately 190 degrees at 1;600 MSL. Balloon assembly; preflight; and inflation was normal. After inflation; pilot secured vent line and checked instruments. Crown line was secured to the burner frame. This is normal procedure and crown line hung out from the top of balloon. Pilot and one passenger in basket. A normal takeoff followed. After ascending to approximately 60 feet; the pilot elected to do a touch and go in an open field 090 degrees from the launch. The balloon was allowed to cool naturally (no venting). Aircraft (balloon) touched down further than anticipated. Direction of the wind took the aircraft towards an intersection of the street and the entrance to the parking lot. Visible at the intersection was a light pole on the far side of the intersection and a tree on the near side. Upon takeoff and ascent; the path would take the aircraft between the far light pole and the near side tree. On climbout from the touch and go; the pilot and crew member felt something tugging on the aircraft. The crew member stated the crown line was caught on a light pole. There was a second light pole on the near side of the intersection obscured by the tree and not visible to the pilot or passenger. The light pole gave was and fell to the pavement. A survey of the aircraft showed no damage and no injuries to pilot or passenger. Pilot resumed flight with the intent to find a landing spot and return to the campus. A climbout was initiated to look for open places to land.a suitable landing site was identified; an open field with a secondary spot behind; a housing development area with new roads and street lights. A few partially built houses were in the back of the lot. All other areas appeared to be clear of obstacles. The pilot descended to landing in the field; but the variable winds took the aircraft towards the side of the field and towards a fence; descent was halted for landing and extended to the secondary land zone in the housing development area. A wall was visible either side of the entrance to the housing development area. Descent to land was initiated for landing into the area. The path of the aircraft was straight down the main entrance street of the area. Since the street was clear and to avoid light poles further down the road; the pilot decided to land sooner than later to avoid any possible unseen obstacles in the construction area. Approximately two feet from touchdown; the wind shifted to the right where a light pole was partially visible beside the entrance wall. The aircraft was committed to landing with no time to initiate a climb above the obstacles in the shifted direction. The aircraft crown line snagged on the light pole. The momentum of the aircraft could not be stopped in time and the second light pole was downed. No damage to the aircraft and no injuries to any personnel.when the pilot was learning to fly a hot air balloon; the instruction was to 'secure the crown line' meaning clip the end of the crown line to the burner frame. This allowed the crown line to hang from the side on the envelope and curve to the burner frame. Afterwards; talking to more experience pilots; they mentioned they secure their crown lines tight against the envelope. This is something that should be taught in pilot training to 'secure the crown line' by clipping the end to the burner frame and then a secondary security measure to draw the crown line in tight to the envelope and secure it a second time. This should prevent the crown line from getting snagged on any items such as those mentioned in this report and prevent the possibility of having it snagged on any other protruding objects such as tree branches.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Balloon pilot reported downing two light poles due to interference with the hanging crown line.

Narrative: Hot Air Balloon pilot and crew arrived at festival. Five balloons assembled for VFR flight; winds light and variable. Surface winds from 090 degrees up to approximately 100 feet and variable changes approximately 190 degrees at 1;600 MSL. Balloon assembly; preflight; and inflation was normal. After inflation; pilot secured vent line and checked instruments. Crown line was secured to the burner frame. This is normal procedure and crown line hung out from the top of balloon. Pilot and one passenger in basket. A normal takeoff followed. After ascending to approximately 60 feet; the pilot elected to do a touch and go in an open field 090 degrees from the launch. The balloon was allowed to cool naturally (no venting). Aircraft (balloon) touched down further than anticipated. Direction of the wind took the aircraft towards an intersection of the street and the entrance to the parking lot. Visible at the intersection was a light pole on the far side of the intersection and a tree on the near side. Upon takeoff and ascent; the path would take the aircraft between the far light pole and the near side tree. On climbout from the touch and go; the pilot and crew member felt something tugging on the aircraft. The crew member stated the crown line was caught on a light pole. There was a second light pole on the near side of the intersection obscured by the tree and not visible to the pilot or passenger. The light pole gave was and fell to the pavement. A survey of the aircraft showed no damage and no injuries to pilot or passenger. Pilot resumed flight with the intent to find a landing spot and return to the campus. A climbout was initiated to look for open places to land.A suitable landing site was identified; an open field with a secondary spot behind; a housing development area with new roads and street lights. A few partially built houses were in the back of the lot. All other areas appeared to be clear of obstacles. The pilot descended to landing in the field; but the variable winds took the aircraft towards the side of the field and towards a fence; descent was halted for landing and extended to the secondary land zone in the housing development area. A wall was visible either side of the entrance to the housing development area. Descent to land was initiated for landing into the area. The path of the aircraft was straight down the main entrance street of the area. Since the street was clear and to avoid light poles further down the road; the pilot decided to land sooner than later to avoid any possible unseen obstacles in the construction area. Approximately two feet from touchdown; the wind shifted to the right where a light pole was partially visible beside the entrance wall. The aircraft was committed to landing with no time to initiate a climb above the obstacles in the shifted direction. The aircraft crown line snagged on the light pole. The momentum of the aircraft could not be stopped in time and the second light pole was downed. No damage to the aircraft and no injuries to any personnel.When the pilot was learning to fly a hot air balloon; the instruction was to 'secure the crown line' meaning clip the end of the crown line to the burner frame. This allowed the crown line to hang from the side on the envelope and curve to the burner frame. Afterwards; talking to more experience pilots; they mentioned they secure their crown lines tight against the envelope. This is something that should be taught in pilot training to 'secure the crown line' by clipping the end to the burner frame and then a secondary security measure to draw the crown line in tight to the envelope and secure it a second time. This should prevent the crown line from getting snagged on any items such as those mentioned in this report and prevent the possibility of having it snagged on any other protruding objects such as tree branches.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.