HOT AIR BALLOON ON APCH TO LAND HITS PWR LINES.

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END OF COMMERCIAL SCENIC FLT. PICKED WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN OPEN CLR FIELD ABOUT 20 ACRE SQUARE; HOUSE OR BUILDING IN CTR WITH CROPS IN NE CORNER WITH HIGH GRASS IN NW CORNER. PLANNED TO DROP INTO GRASS AREA AND SKIM ABOVE TO CATCH WIND TO BRING ME TO THE CTR (N/S BUT TO THE W SIDE) OF THE FIELD. EVERYTHING APPEARED CLR WITH 1 BALLOON ALREADY IN THE AREA THAT I PICKED TO TERMINATE THE FLT. AS I STARTED TO BRIEF THE PAX FOR LNDG; WHILE ON A GRADUAL DSCNT; ONE OF THEM ASKED 'ARE THOSE PWR LINES?' A QUICK GLANCE SHOWED WHAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CAMOUFLAGED BY THE DARK GREEN GRASS AND DATE PALMS IN THE DISTANCE. I IMMEDIATELY VENTED BUT WITH THE FORWARD MOMENTUM AND THE SHAPE OF THE BALLOON IT CAUSED 2 OF THE PWR LINES TO ARC AND ONE OF THEM SEVERED. WORKING CLR OF THE WIRES WE DEFLATED THE BALLOON. NO INJURIES RESULTED FROM THE ARCHING; AND NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON SYS OCCURRED. LINE REPAIR CREW WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE TO RESTRING THE DOWNED PWR LINE. CAUSE WAS INABILITY TO SEE PWR LINES AGAINST DARK BACKGND WITH LONG LOW SPAN BTWN POLES. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THE FAA PROVIDE FUNDING FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A PWR LINE DETECTION SYS TO HELP IDENT WHEN IN CLOSE PROX OF THOSE 'INVISIBLE' PWR LINES.