A hot air balloon pilot hit power lines.

Attributes
ACN	254118
Time
Date	199310
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord airport : 7ll0
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 26 flight time total : 142
ASRS Report	254118
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

The balloon was traveling east when we encountered strong lake-effect winds coming off lake michigan. We were turned north and then northwest and quickly encountered severe updrafts and downdrafts. I made the decision to land as quickly as possible. I was approaching a field flying level at approximately 100 ft AGL when I got caught in a rotor that turned me away from the field. I began ascending at 500 FPM to cross a road and look for another landing site. At approximately 30 ft AGL, I was pushed to the ground by a severe downdraft. I contacted power lines with 1 corner of the balloon basket. The contact severed 1 set of support cables on the balloon. After the contact, I safely flew the balloon to the next available field and landed. There were no injuries to any passenger, nor was damage done to the power lines. The balloon suffered damage to 1 set of cables connecting the envelope to the basket, but was not damaged enough that prevented it from flying on to a safe landing. Lake effect winds on the west side of lake michigan can kick in with no warning. They can cause severe turbulence as they travel away from the lake. Getting caught in these winds, I have learned that a better decision would have been to gain lots of altitude and ride it out until the winds calm down before trying to land, or to land before getting caught in the turbulence if you see it coming.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HIT PWR LINES.

Narrative: THE BALLOON WAS TRAVELING E WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED STRONG LAKE-EFFECT WINDS COMING OFF LAKE MICHIGAN. WE WERE TURNED N AND THEN NW AND QUICKLY ENCOUNTERED SEVERE UPDRAFTS AND DOWNDRAFTS. I MADE THE DECISION TO LAND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I WAS APCHING A FIELD FLYING LEVEL AT APPROX 100 FT AGL WHEN I GOT CAUGHT IN A ROTOR THAT TURNED ME AWAY FROM THE FIELD. I BEGAN ASCENDING AT 500 FPM TO CROSS A ROAD AND LOOK FOR ANOTHER LNDG SITE. AT APPROX 30 FT AGL, I WAS PUSHED TO THE GND BY A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT. I CONTACTED PWR LINES WITH 1 CORNER OF THE BALLOON BASKET. THE CONTACT SEVERED 1 SET OF SUPPORT CABLES ON THE BALLOON. AFTER THE CONTACT, I SAFELY FLEW THE BALLOON TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE FIELD AND LANDED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANY PAX, NOR WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE PWR LINES. THE BALLOON SUFFERED DAMAGE TO 1 SET OF CABLES CONNECTING THE ENVELOPE TO THE BASKET, BUT WAS NOT DAMAGED ENOUGH THAT PREVENTED IT FROM FLYING ON TO A SAFE LNDG. LAKE EFFECT WINDS ON THE W SIDE OF LAKE MICHIGAN CAN KICK IN WITH NO WARNING. THEY CAN CAUSE SEVERE TURB AS THEY TRAVEL AWAY FROM THE LAKE. GETTING CAUGHT IN THESE WINDS, I HAVE LEARNED THAT A BETTER DECISION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO GAIN LOTS OF ALT AND RIDE IT OUT UNTIL THE WINDS CALM DOWN BEFORE TRYING TO LAND, OR TO LAND BEFORE GETTING CAUGHT IN THE TURB IF YOU SEE IT COMING.

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.