A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HITS PWRLINES ON TKOF AT A SPECIAL INTEREST ACTIVITY HOT AIR BALLOON MEET.

Narrative

WE WERE INFLATING MY BALLOON IN RATHER WINDY CONDITIONS. THE BALLOON WAS TIED OFF WITH A QUICK RELEASE. AFTER FILLING THE BALLOON WITH AIR; I HIT THE BURNER; UPRIGHTED IT AND HEATED FOR LAUNCH. BECAUSE OF THE WINDY CONDITIONS; THE QUICK RELEASE WAS PULLED TIGHT AND MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN WE GOT IT RELEASED; WE WERE HIT BY A GUST OF WIND THAT PARTIALLY CLOSED THE MOUTH OF THE BALLOON; PUSHING OUT SOME HOT AIR. THE BALLOON WAS RELEASED AND I HIT A PWR LINE THAT WAS GOING FROM THE ROAD TO A HOUSE. I LANDED IMMEDIATELY. I WAS FINE AND THERE WAS NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON. TO PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE; I HAVE CHANGED QUICK RELEASES TO ONE THAT IS MORE RELIABLE IN THESE CONDITIONS. I ALSO WILL DOUBLE THE DISTANCE BTWN LAUNCH SITE AND PWR LINES. IF FACED WITH A LIKE SIT; I WOULD PARTIALLY DEFLATE THE BALLOON; CORRECT THE MALFUNCTION; REINFLATE AND LAUNCH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING IN A HOT AIR BALLOON EVENT AT GGG IN A BALLOON WORKS AX-7. SHE WAS USING A TIE-DOWN WITH A 'SPECIAL KNOT' THAT FAILED. SHE HAS SINCE FOUND ANOTHER KNOT THAT SUITS HER BETTER. SHE WAS INTERVIEWED ON SITE BY AN FAA INSPECTOR ON DUTY WHO CHOSE NOT TO TAKE THE MATTER FURTHER.