Narrative:

In sum -- a commercial hot air balloon pilot flying solo, did not see some pwrlines when he landed across a fence line. He ripped out while airborne after shutting off the flame and landed hard. The envelope contacted the pwrlines starting a small grass fire and melting a few panels in the envelope. The aeronaut reached into his basket and retrieved his fire extinguisher and put out the grass fire without electrocuting himself. He reached in again for another fire extinguisher to put out a few embers. About this time his crew arrived along with some neighbors including fire personnel and the local fire department. He attributes his survival to his excellent training. The only damage suffered was 'superficial damage, a few panels burned by the grass fire.' the aeronaut only scratched his leg on the fence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HIT PWRLINES ON LNDG WIT MINIMAL DAMAGE AND INJURY.

Narrative: IN SUM -- A COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON PLT FLYING SOLO, DID NOT SEE SOME PWRLINES WHEN HE LANDED ACROSS A FENCE LINE. HE RIPPED OUT WHILE AIRBORNE AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE FLAME AND LANDED HARD. THE ENVELOPE CONTACTED THE PWRLINES STARTING A SMALL GRASS FIRE AND MELTING A FEW PANELS IN THE ENVELOPE. THE AERONAUT REACHED INTO HIS BASKET AND RETRIEVED HIS FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE GRASS FIRE WITHOUT ELECTROCUTING HIMSELF. HE REACHED IN AGAIN FOR ANOTHER FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT OUT A FEW EMBERS. ABOUT THIS TIME HIS CREW ARRIVED ALONG WITH SOME NEIGHBORS INCLUDING FIRE PERSONNEL AND THE LCL FIRE DEPT. HE ATTRIBUTES HIS SURVIVAL TO HIS EXCELLENT TRAINING. THE ONLY DAMAGE SUFFERED WAS 'SUPERFICIAL DAMAGE, A FEW PANELS BURNED BY THE GRASS FIRE.' THE AERONAUT ONLY SCRATCHED HIS LEG ON THE FENCE.

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.