AFTER A SUCCESSFUL LNDG; THE ENVELOPE OF A HOT AIR BALLOON CONTACTED A PWRLINE.

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I WAS FLYING IN THE NW AREA OF HEMET; CA; WHICH IS PRIMARILY AN AGRICULTURAL AREA. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND FOUND AFTER TKOF THAT MY LNDG SPOTS WERE LIMITED BOTH BY CROPS UNDER CULTIVATION AND DAIRIES. AFTER PICKING OUT A LNDG SPOT; I MADE MY FIRST DSCNT AND THE WINDS PRODUCED A SHARP TURN TO THE L AS I DSNDED. THIS DID NOT PROVIDE A GOOD LNDG SITE. I THEN CLBED TO APPROX 300 FT AND MADE A SECOND DSCNT; BUT THIS TIME THE WINDS PRODUCED A SHARP TURN TO THE R. AFTER CONTACTING THE GND; THE WINDS TOOK ME INTO ELECTRIC PWR LINES. I WAS SITTING STATIONARY ON THE GND; NOT MOVING; WHEN CONTACT WAS MADE. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND MINOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE BALLOON. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION THAT I INSTIGATED WAS TO PULL THE RED LINE AND IMMEDIATELY DEFLATE THE BALLOON WHEN CONTACT WAS IMMINENT. THIS ACCIDENT WAS UNDOUBTEDLY ANOTHER CASE OF PLT ERROR AND EVEN THOUGH MY LNDG SITES WERE LIMITED; I SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED FLYING UNTIL A MORE APPROPRIATE SITE WAS FOUND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR'S WIDOW STATES THAT THE RPTR WAS KILLED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT SINCE THE TIME OF HIS RPT TO THE ASRS. AN FAA PERSON CONTACTED THE RPTR AFTER SEEING A NEWSPAPER ACCOUNT OF THE BALLOON INCIDENT AND THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ONGOING. THE WIDOW WAS ADVISED THAT SHE SHOULD CONTACT THE FAA SO THAT SHE WOULD NOT BE BOTHERED FURTHER.