A LIGHTER THAN AIR BALLOON LANDS ON TOP OF PWR LINES IN CLEBURNE; TX.

Date: 1997-07 · Aircraft: Balloon

Anomalies: conflict-ground-conflict|critical|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown|inflight-event-encounter-cftt-cfit

Synopsis

A LIGHTER THAN AIR BALLOON LANDS ON TOP OF PWR LINES IN CLEBURNE; TX.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING IN A BALLOON. WE TOOK OFF APPROX 35 MINS BEFORE SUNSET IN HOT HAZY CONDITIONS. WE FLEW FROM SE TO NW AND AFTER 15 MINS WE FOUND A LNDG FIELD N OF A HIGH SCHOOL. I STARTED MY DSCNT INTO THE FIELD; CONCENTRATING ON AVOIDING THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING AND LIGHT POLES IN THE PARKING LOT. AFTER I FELT THAT THESE OBSTACLES WERE AVOIDED I CONTINUED MY DSCNT INTO THE FIELD WHEN I SAW PWR LINES 50-75 FT AHEAD. I TURNED ON BOTH MY BURNERS FOR 1-2 SECONDS UNTIL I REALIZED I WOULD NOT CLR THE PWR LINE. I TOLD MY PAX TO GET DOWN IN THE BASKET. WE STRUCK BOTH PWR LINES AND THE BALLOON LURCHED FORWARD. WE ROSE ABOUT 10 FT AND RESTED ON THE TOP LINE. AFTER 5 SECONDS; THE TOP LINE BROKE AND THE BALLOON SWUNG AND WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AFTER REVIEW OF THE PAX AND EQUIP WE FOUND NO DAMAGE TO EITHER. AFTER REVIEWING THE INCIDENT; A NUMBER OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTED: 1) HAZE AND THE SUN INDIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME CUT DOWN ON MY VISION. 2) OBSTACLE FIXATION ON THE BUILDING AND LIGHT POLES GAVE ME A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT I CLRED ALL OBSTACLES BEFORE ENTERING THE FIELD. 3) ELECTRICAL POLES THAT WERE FURTHER APART THAN USUAL DID NOT CATCH MY EYE. 4) POSSIBLE FATIGUE FROM WORK WK AND OVERNIGHT TRAVEL CUT MY RESPONSE TIME.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.