A large hot air balloon hit power lines.

Attributes
ACN	312056
Time
Date	199508
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 2q3
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : msp
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1596 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	312056
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon landing in a field near winters, the balloon envelope contacted power lines and broke them. Wind speed fluctuated from 1-2 KTS to 3-4 KTS moving the balloon in a n-ne direction. When making the approach to this field, I located 2 separate sets of power lines and was well clear of them. Upon landing, I saw another set which cut an angle across the field. The momentum of the balloon with the wind carried the envelope into the wires. They broke at the pole and fell to the ground. No persons were injured nor was there damage to the balloon. I contacted power company and instituted repair to the lines. Had I seen this other set of lines, I would not have landed there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LARGE HOT AIR BALLOON HIT PWR LINES.

Narrative: UPON LNDG IN A FIELD NEAR WINTERS, THE BALLOON ENVELOPE CONTACTED PWR LINES AND BROKE THEM. WIND SPD FLUCTUATED FROM 1-2 KTS TO 3-4 KTS MOVING THE BALLOON IN A N-NE DIRECTION. WHEN MAKING THE APCH TO THIS FIELD, I LOCATED 2 SEPARATE SETS OF PWR LINES AND WAS WELL CLR OF THEM. UPON LNDG, I SAW ANOTHER SET WHICH CUT AN ANGLE ACROSS THE FIELD. THE MOMENTUM OF THE BALLOON WITH THE WIND CARRIED THE ENVELOPE INTO THE WIRES. THEY BROKE AT THE POLE AND FELL TO THE GND. NO PERSONS WERE INJURED NOR WAS THERE DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON. I CONTACTED PWR COMPANY AND INSTITUTED REPAIR TO THE LINES. HAD I SEEN THIS OTHER SET OF LINES, I WOULD NOT HAVE LANDED THERE.

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.