A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT FLEW INTO PWR LINES. HE COMPLAINS OF LOWER BURNER OUTPUT.

Narrative

THE FLT WAS GOING WELL UNTIL I EXPERIENCED SOME LOW BURNER OUTPUT. I CHKED FUEL TANKS AND CHANGED 1 BURNER TO A FRESH TANK. THE OTHER BURNER I DID NOT SWITCH BECAUSE ITS TANK READ 30 PERCENT. A 200-300 FT DSCNT STARTED AND I ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE BALLOON OUT OF THIS GRADUAL DSCNT FIRST WITH 1 BURNER. THE BURNER SEEMED TO BE PRODUCING HEAT; BUT IT WAS NOT SLOWING OR STOPPING THE DSCNT. I THEN BURNED WITH BOTH BURNERS. THE SECOND BURNER DID NOT SEEM TO BE PRODUCING HEAT AS I FELT IT SHOULD. I DOUBLECHKED THE FUEL AND CONTINUED BURNING. THE DSCNT CONTINUED AND I CONTINUED TO BURN; BUT MY FOCUS NOW WENT TO WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO IF I COULD NOT STOP THE DSCNT. I LOOKED AHEAD TO SEE WHAT WAS ON THE GND IN FRONT OF US. I SAW THAT I HAD 2 HOMES TO OUR L; A ROAD ON OUR R WITH A SET OF PWR LINES RUNNING E AND W ALONG THE ROAD. RUNNING N AND S FROM THOSE LINES WERE 2 SETS OF LINES RUNNING UP TO THE HOMES. THE N/S LINES WERE AROUND 400 FT APART. WHEN I COULD NOT GET THE BALLOON TO COME OUT OF THE DSCNT; I DECIDED TO TRY AND LAND THE BALLOON AFTER XING THE FIRST SET OF LINES BUT BEFORE THE SECOND SET OF LINES. I FELT IF I DID NOT DO THIS; WE WOULD NOT CLR THE SECOND SET OF LINES. AFTER XING THE FIRST SET OF LINES; I VENTED AND BRIEFED THE PAX ON WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE BALLOON LANDED 30-35 FT FROM THE LINES; BOUNCED TWICE AND THE ENVELOPE DROPPED OVER THE LINES. THE DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON WAS VERY MINIMAL AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. LOOKING BACK ON THE EXPERIENCE; I FEEL MY BACKUP BURNER SYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED.