BALLOON PLT HITS LOW VOLTAGE PWR LINES DURING INITIAL PHASE OF ASCENT. EXTRICATES AND CONTINUES WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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ACFT LAUNCHED IN BALLOON EVENT WITH WINDS FROM WESTERLY DIRECTION -- LIGHT AND VARIABLE. BALLOON ASCENDED AT RATE OF CLB APPROX 50 FPM. CLRED FIRST SET OF PWR LINES BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE SECOND SET DUE TO SUN POS IN FLT ASCENT AND DIRECTION. PWR LINE STRIKE HIT UPRIGHT STRUCTURE OF ACFT AS CRAFT CONTINUED ASCENT THROUGH THE LINE. THE LINE WAS A LOW VOLTAGE HOUSE FEEDER LINE. PLT WAS ABLE TO EXTRICATE GONDOLA FROM PWR LINE WITH NO DANGER OR INJURY TO PAX; PLT; OBSERVERS; OR PROPERTY. FLT WAS CONTINUED SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. 2 MAJOR FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT: THE PLT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COORD OF THE LAUNCH AND CTL OF 13 OTHER BALLOONS PARTICIPATING IN A LCL BALLOON EVENT. SECOND; THE PLT'S RATE OF ASCENT INTO THE SUN WAS SLOWER THAN PLANNED TO ALLOW THE PLT TO OBSERVE THE OTHER BALLOONS BEING LAUNCHED. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD THE PLT NOT BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT FLTS. ACTION TO BE TAKEN IS TO REQUIRE THE BALLOON FLT COORDINATOR TO REMAIN ON THE GND AND IN CTL OF AN EVENT AND NOT ATTEMPT TO FLY AN ACFT AS PIC AT THE SAME TIME HE/SHE IS COORDINATING THE ACTIVITY OF A BALLOON MASS LIFTOFF. EXTENSIVE SAFETY TRAINING AND REINFORCEMENT OF RESPONSE TO EMERS THROUGH SAFETY SEMINARS ASSISTED PLT IN RESPONDING IN A MANNER THAT PREVENTED ANY INJURY; DAMAGE; OR COMPLICATIONS FROM OCCURRING.