Hot air balloon pilot hit power line while attempting landing.

Attributes
ACN	454587
Time
Date	199911
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ats.airport
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl single value : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jfk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 263 flight time type : 263
ASRS Report	454587
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : pax
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : unique event conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

In my hot air balloon, at a flying event in artesia, NM, I had taken off at approximately xa from central artesia, NM. I had a 1 hour flight with 2 intermediate lndgs for passenger change. Upon my final approach to a suitable landing spot, I lost visual on a dual power line directly in the path of my descent. I immediately shut down propane, pilot light and began pulling my red line (vent) almost simultaneously. There was a flash and a loud crack as we hit the power lines and subsequently the ground. There was a small patch of grass which was aflame and a downline sparking near the gondola. No one sustained any injury and aircraft damages was less than $300. The power company, highway patrol, sheriff, and fire department were on the scene within 15 mins and the power line repaired within 30-45 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HIT PWR LINE WHILE ATTEMPTING LNDG.

Narrative: IN MY HOT AIR BALLOON, AT A FLYING EVENT IN ARTESIA, NM, I HAD TAKEN OFF AT APPROX XA FROM CENTRAL ARTESIA, NM. I HAD A 1 HR FLT WITH 2 INTERMEDIATE LNDGS FOR PAX CHANGE. UPON MY FINAL APCH TO A SUITABLE LNDG SPOT, I LOST VISUAL ON A DUAL PWR LINE DIRECTLY IN THE PATH OF MY DSCNT. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN PROPANE, PILOT LIGHT AND BEGAN PULLING MY RED LINE (VENT) ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY. THERE WAS A FLASH AND A LOUD CRACK AS WE HIT THE PWR LINES AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE GND. THERE WAS A SMALL PATCH OF GRASS WHICH WAS AFLAME AND A DOWNLINE SPARKING NEAR THE GONDOLA. NO ONE SUSTAINED ANY INJURY AND ACFT DAMAGES WAS LESS THAN $300. THE PWR COMPANY, HWY PATROL, SHERIFF, AND FIRE DEPT WERE ON THE SCENE WITHIN 15 MINS AND THE PWR LINE REPAIRED WITHIN 30-45 MINS.

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.