HOT AIR BALLOON STRUCK FLAG POLE ON LIFTOFF WHEN RELEASED TOO SOON BY GND CREW.

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EVENT OCCURRED DURING TKOF FROM A CONGESTED AND SMALL LAUNCH FIELD AT A BALLOON RACE IN JEFFERSON CITY. WE INTENDED TO INFLATE THE BALLOON AND WALK IT AWAY FROM THE FLAGPOLE BEFORE LAUNCH. WHILE THE CREW WAS MOVING THE BALLOON; I INSTRUCTED THEM TO 'WEIGH OFF' (MEANING TO HOLD ME ON THE GND UNTIL THE ENVELOPE WAS HOT ENOUGH FOR ME TO CLR THE POLE). I HAD NOT EXPLAINED THIS PROC TO MY NOVICE CREW AND WHEN I TOLD THEM TO 'WEIGH OFF' THEY LET THE BALLOON GO INSTEAD. SINCE I DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT LIFT; THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE POLE AT APPROX 1/3 THE WAY UP. THE ENVELOPE BECAME ENTANGLED AROUND THE TOP OF THE POLE. I SECURED THE BASKET TO THE POLE AND TURNED OFF THE BURNER. AS THE ENVELOPE COOLED; THE BALLOON BEGAN TO SLIDE SLOWLY TO THE GND. AT APPROX 6 FT ABOVE THE GND; SPECTATORS WERE ABLE TO HOLD THE BASKET AND ALLOW THE PAX AND MYSELF TO DISEMBARK. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PAX OR SPECTATORS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) CONGESTED; SMALL TKOF SITE. 2) INEXPERIENCE GND CREW. TOTAL DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON WAS $1000.