Hot air balloon strikes power line near btl.

Attributes
ACN	441880
Time
Date	199907
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : btl.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 30
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 355 flight time type : 355
ASRS Report	441880
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Launch took place at about XA55 with a wind of 5 mph or less at site. I proceeded to the first 2 targets. On flying to the third, about 1/2 way into the proposed flight, I descended from about 500 ft AGL to about 100 ft AGL and was flying level at 9.5 mph. I approached a set of power lines that both myself and passenger mentioned at about 50 ft above them. At about 50 ft prior to reaching the line, the balloon went into a steep downward descent. I immediately turned on the burner. We struck the static line at burner frame ht and the uppermost power line at mid basket. There was a small flash and the basket slid up, with the static line catching on the edge. I released the basket from the static line. It rose to 600 ft and leveled off. I found a landing spot ahead. Had a stand up landing. Minor burn to passenger. No structural damage to balloon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON STRIKES PWR LINE NEAR BTL.

Narrative: LAUNCH TOOK PLACE AT ABOUT XA55 WITH A WIND OF 5 MPH OR LESS AT SITE. I PROCEEDED TO THE FIRST 2 TARGETS. ON FLYING TO THE THIRD, ABOUT 1/2 WAY INTO THE PROPOSED FLT, I DSNDED FROM ABOUT 500 FT AGL TO ABOUT 100 FT AGL AND WAS FLYING LEVEL AT 9.5 MPH. I APCHED A SET OF PWR LINES THAT BOTH MYSELF AND PAX MENTIONED AT ABOUT 50 FT ABOVE THEM. AT ABOUT 50 FT PRIOR TO REACHING THE LINE, THE BALLOON WENT INTO A STEEP DOWNWARD DSCNT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON THE BURNER. WE STRUCK THE STATIC LINE AT BURNER FRAME HT AND THE UPPERMOST PWR LINE AT MID BASKET. THERE WAS A SMALL FLASH AND THE BASKET SLID UP, WITH THE STATIC LINE CATCHING ON THE EDGE. I RELEASED THE BASKET FROM THE STATIC LINE. IT ROSE TO 600 FT AND LEVELED OFF. I FOUND A LNDG SPOT AHEAD. HAD A STAND UP LNDG. MINOR BURN TO PAX. NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO BALLOON.

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.