Aerostar RX8 balloon contacts power lines during flight.

Attributes
ACN	715840
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pga.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 18
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : lta pilot : private pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 42 flight time total : 245 flight time type : 245
ASRS Report	715840
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While contour flying at approximately 2 mph along rock formations the aircraft crested the ridge of a formation and was vented to start the descent down the back side of the rock formation. As the balloon reached the edge of the formation; and in a slight descent a set of power lines became visible. The balloon was descending at approximately 10-15 FPM and the power lines were approximately 20 ft in front of the balloon. I reached to vent the air and rip out the top of the balloon; but based on my location; the distance to the power lines and the approximately ht of the balloon I felt there was a possibility that I would contact the power lines at the same time the gondola would land on the ground possibly creating a direct short with the basket being involved. I then used both burners to initiate an ascent. The balloon contacted the power line approximately 6 ft from the bottom of the envelope. The power line stopped the forward momentum of the balloon. As the balloon stopped on the line; part of the envelope fabric contacted the ground line. When the balloon recoiled off of the line I heard a soft cracking; I did not see any arcing in; on or close to the gondola or the uprights. The balloon then ascended over the power lines. I immediately asked if any one was injured or hurt; and no one had received any type of injury. I landed the balloon immediately.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AEROSTAR RX8 BALLOON CONTACTS PWR LINES DURING FLT.

Narrative: WHILE CONTOUR FLYING AT APPROX 2 MPH ALONG ROCK FORMATIONS THE ACFT CRESTED THE RIDGE OF A FORMATION AND WAS VENTED TO START THE DSCNT DOWN THE BACK SIDE OF THE ROCK FORMATION. AS THE BALLOON REACHED THE EDGE OF THE FORMATION; AND IN A SLIGHT DSCNT A SET OF PWR LINES BECAME VISIBLE. THE BALLOON WAS DSNDING AT APPROX 10-15 FPM AND THE PWR LINES WERE APPROX 20 FT IN FRONT OF THE BALLOON. I REACHED TO VENT THE AIR AND RIP OUT THE TOP OF THE BALLOON; BUT BASED ON MY LOCATION; THE DISTANCE TO THE PWR LINES AND THE APPROX HT OF THE BALLOON I FELT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT I WOULD CONTACT THE PWR LINES AT THE SAME TIME THE GONDOLA WOULD LAND ON THE GND POSSIBLY CREATING A DIRECT SHORT WITH THE BASKET BEING INVOLVED. I THEN USED BOTH BURNERS TO INITIATE AN ASCENT. THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE PWR LINE APPROX 6 FT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENVELOPE. THE PWR LINE STOPPED THE FORWARD MOMENTUM OF THE BALLOON. AS THE BALLOON STOPPED ON THE LINE; PART OF THE ENVELOPE FABRIC CONTACTED THE GND LINE. WHEN THE BALLOON RECOILED OFF OF THE LINE I HEARD A SOFT CRACKING; I DID NOT SEE ANY ARCING IN; ON OR CLOSE TO THE GONDOLA OR THE UPRIGHTS. THE BALLOON THEN ASCENDED OVER THE PWR LINES. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED IF ANY ONE WAS INJURED OR HURT; AND NO ONE HAD RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF INJURY. I LANDED THE BALLOON IMMEDIATELY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.