Hot air balloon pilot hit power lines on landing.

Attributes
ACN	616165
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mhe.airport
State Reference	SD
Altitude	agl single value : 15
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hon.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 78 flight time type : 28
ASRS Report	616165
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated other
Miss Distance	vertical : 10
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was PIC of a hot air balloon ride. We had been in the air approximately 45 mins. During my approach to land in a field, I cleared a set of power lines and descended toward the field. I did not see a set of power lines running perpendicular to the set I had just cleared as my vision was obscured as I looked into the bright sunlight and the direction of the perpendicular set of lines. The scoop of the envelope made contact with the power lines. As a result of the contact, a nearby electrical pole, which appeared to be rotted near the bottom, broke and the gondola settled to the ground. Upon reaching the ground, I instructed my passenger to exit the gondola one at a time and to jump free of the gondola. We all exited the gondola. We called the power company and they secured and grounded the power lines. After this was completed, we unhooked the 'caribeeners' (separated the balloon from the gondola) in a normal fashion. The balloon was not damaged.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HIT PWR LINES ON LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS PIC OF A HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE. WE HAD BEEN IN THE AIR APPROX 45 MINS. DURING MY APCH TO LAND IN A FIELD, I CLRED A SET OF PWR LINES AND DSNDED TOWARD THE FIELD. I DID NOT SEE A SET OF PWR LINES RUNNING PERPENDICULAR TO THE SET I HAD JUST CLRED AS MY VISION WAS OBSCURED AS I LOOKED INTO THE BRIGHT SUNLIGHT AND THE DIRECTION OF THE PERPENDICULAR SET OF LINES. THE SCOOP OF THE ENVELOPE MADE CONTACT WITH THE PWR LINES. AS A RESULT OF THE CONTACT, A NEARBY ELECTRICAL POLE, WHICH APPEARED TO BE ROTTED NEAR THE BOTTOM, BROKE AND THE GONDOLA SETTLED TO THE GND. UPON REACHING THE GND, I INSTRUCTED MY PAX TO EXIT THE GONDOLA ONE AT A TIME AND TO JUMP FREE OF THE GONDOLA. WE ALL EXITED THE GONDOLA. WE CALLED THE PWR COMPANY AND THEY SECURED AND GNDED THE PWR LINES. AFTER THIS WAS COMPLETED, WE UNHOOKED THE 'CARIBEENERS' (SEPARATED THE BALLOON FROM THE GONDOLA) IN A NORMAL FASHION. THE BALLOON WAS NOT DAMAGED.

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.