Pilot of a hot air balloon struck a power line, and became entangled, during approach to landing in an open field. The reporter jumped out of the basket prior to the basket striking the ground.

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Attributes
ACN	449359
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tki.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 20
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 780 flight time type : 780
ASRS Report	449359
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On approach to land hot air balloon in open field, flying into setting sun. Studied power pole on the left and idented 2 lines. Did not see line directly in front of me until 3 seconds before contact. Balloon deflated draped over 7500 volt power lines. No injuries. Balloon removed with assistance of power line company representative. Minor damage to balloon. Pilot jumped clear before basket contacted the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A HOT AIR BALLOON STRUCK A PWR LINE, AND BECAME ENTANGLED, DURING APCH TO LNDG IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE RPTR JUMPED OUT OF THE BASKET PRIOR TO THE BASKET STRIKING THE GND.

Narrative: ON APCH TO LAND HOT AIR BALLOON IN OPEN FIELD, FLYING INTO SETTING SUN. STUDIED PWR POLE ON THE L AND IDENTED 2 LINES. DID NOT SEE LINE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME UNTIL 3 SECONDS BEFORE CONTACT. BALLOON DEFLATED DRAPED OVER 7500 VOLT PWR LINES. NO INJURIES. BALLOON REMOVED WITH ASSISTANCE OF PWR LINE COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE. MINOR DAMAGE TO BALLOON. PLT JUMPED CLR BEFORE BASKET CONTACTED THE GND.

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.