Incident Overview
A balloon pilot reported that before departure, the wind shifted and the balloon would travel to an area with limited landing opportunities. Despite this, he elected to proceed with the flight.
Landing Sequence
During the landing, the balloon descended to approximately 20-30 feet above the ground. The intended landing area was on a dry hillside just past a wetland. The pilot noted that the hillside had a commercial building at the top, and at the base of the hill there was a short pole with guy-wires. He did not observe any other poles and focused on the intended landing site.
As the balloon approached the landing site, a passenger asked, "if we would hit that powerline?" The pilot then looked up and saw two powerlines above and forward of the balloon's path. He immediately vented the balloon to land and stop forward progress. The balloon subsequently collided with the powerlines and settled to the ground.
Damage
The balloon sustained substantial damage to three of its 24 cables that attach the envelope to the basket.
Mechanical Condition
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.