Hot air balloon struck flag pole on liftoff when released too soon by ground crew.

Attributes
ACN	442115
Time
Date	199907
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jef.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 20
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1630 flight time type : 1630
ASRS Report	442115
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Event occurred during takeoff from a congested and small launch field at a balloon race in jefferson city. We intended to inflate the balloon and walk it away from the flagpole before launch. While the crew was moving the balloon, I instructed them to 'weigh off' (meaning to hold me on the ground until the envelope was hot enough for me to clear the pole). I had not explained this procedure to my novice crew and when I told them to 'weigh off' they let the balloon go instead. Since I did not have sufficient lift, the balloon contacted the pole at approximately 1/3 the way up. The envelope became entangled around the top of the pole. I secured the basket to the pole and turned off the burner. As the envelope cooled, the balloon began to slide slowly to the ground. At approximately 6 ft above the ground, spectators were able to hold the basket and allow the passenger and myself to disembark. There were no injuries to passenger or spectators. Contributing factors were: 1) congested, small takeoff site. 2) inexperience ground crew. Total damage to the balloon was $1000.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON STRUCK FLAG POLE ON LIFTOFF WHEN RELEASED TOO SOON BY GND CREW.

Narrative: EVENT OCCURRED DURING TKOF FROM A CONGESTED AND SMALL LAUNCH FIELD AT A BALLOON RACE IN JEFFERSON CITY. WE INTENDED TO INFLATE THE BALLOON AND WALK IT AWAY FROM THE FLAGPOLE BEFORE LAUNCH. WHILE THE CREW WAS MOVING THE BALLOON, I INSTRUCTED THEM TO 'WEIGH OFF' (MEANING TO HOLD ME ON THE GND UNTIL THE ENVELOPE WAS HOT ENOUGH FOR ME TO CLR THE POLE). I HAD NOT EXPLAINED THIS PROC TO MY NOVICE CREW AND WHEN I TOLD THEM TO 'WEIGH OFF' THEY LET THE BALLOON GO INSTEAD. SINCE I DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT LIFT, THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE POLE AT APPROX 1/3 THE WAY UP. THE ENVELOPE BECAME ENTANGLED AROUND THE TOP OF THE POLE. I SECURED THE BASKET TO THE POLE AND TURNED OFF THE BURNER. AS THE ENVELOPE COOLED, THE BALLOON BEGAN TO SLIDE SLOWLY TO THE GND. AT APPROX 6 FT ABOVE THE GND, SPECTATORS WERE ABLE TO HOLD THE BASKET AND ALLOW THE PAX AND MYSELF TO DISEMBARK. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PAX OR SPECTATORS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) CONGESTED, SMALL TKOF SITE. 2) INEXPERIENCE GND CREW. TOTAL DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON WAS $1000.

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.