BALLOON PLT ENCOUNTERS A WIND SHIFT CAUSING THE CRAFT TO DRIFT OVER AN AREA NOT SUITABLE FOR LNDG. PLT ATTEMPTS TO LAND IN A SMALL OPENING AND STRIKES PWR LINES.

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ESTIMATED 2 HR FLT WITH NE WIND AT 4-5 KTS. 1 HR INTO FLT; UNEXPECTED RAPIDLY FORMING LOW PRESSURE CHANGED WIND DIRECTION AND SPD. WIND SHIFT TOOK US AWAY FROM LNDG SITE TOWARDS A LARGE LAKE. AFTER LAKEM IN DIRECTION OF FLT WERE FEW LNDG SITES DUE TO DENSE FOREST AREA. CONTOURED 100-150 FT TREES AT 15-18 MPH. WITH LESS THAN 25% FUEL REMAINING AND 1/2 HR BEFORE SUNSET; ELECTED TO MAKE CONFINED SPACE LNDG AT HIGH SPD. ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE SPD BY DRAGGING TREE TOPS AND HITTING SEVERAL SMALL TREES ON LNDG. REBOUNDED ON LNDG AND MAKING CONTACT WITH WIRE PWR LINES IMMINENT. PERFORMED FULL DEFLATION PRIOR TO PWR LINE CONTACT AND SECURED FUEL LINES. METAL HOOP SKIRT MADE CONTACT BTWN PWR LINE AND BASKET METAL SUSPENSION LINES AND FUEL LINES. PWR LINE ARC BURNED THROUGH VAPOR PLT FUEL LINE WITH SMALL FIREBALL AND PARTIAL BURN TO SKIRT. ONE SUPPORT LINE SEVERED. BASKET SLOWLY DSNDED TO GND. PLT AND PAX MINIMIZED CONTACT WITH METAL STRUCTURES AND JUMPED FROM BASKET TO PREVENT POSSIBLE SHOCK. WORKED WITH LCL RESIDENTS AND 911 PERSONNEL TO SECURE SITE AND PROTECT OTHERS FROM POSSIBLE SHOCK HAZARD. PWR LINE PERSONNEL GNDED LINES AND ASSISTED IN ENVELOPE REMOVED FROM PWR LINE; USING FABRIC ON FABRIC REMOVAL METHOD; WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE TO FABRIC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: UNEXPECTED WIND CHANGE AND VELOCITY INCREASE. LACK OF SUITABLE LNDG SITES. HIGH SPD LNDG WITH BOUNCE DUE TO SIDE VENT DEFLATION. METAL IN HOOP SKIRT; SUSPENSION LINES; AND FUEL LINES PROVIDED GND FOR PWR LINES. CONTRIBUTING ACTIONS: SELECTION OF BALLOON WITH PARACHUTE DEFLATION SYS WOULD HAVE PERMITTED SAFE CONFINED SPACE LNDG WITHOUT BOUNCE AND DRAG OUT. NEWER BALLOON CONSTRUCTION ELIMINATING METAL HOOP SKIRT; METAL SUSPENSION LINES; AND FUEL LINES WOULD MINIMIZE POTENTIAL SHOCK HAZARD WITH INADVERTENT PWR LINE CONTACT. WILL USE CURRENT BALLOON FOR TETHER OR WIDE OPEN SPACES ONLY. WILL SECURE NEWER PARACHUTE DEFLATION STYLE BALLOON WITH NON-CONDUCTIVE MATERIALS FOR XCOUNTRY FLTS. HUMAN FACTORS: RECENT COMMERCIAL TRAINING AND SAFETY TRAINING ALLOWED RAPID RESPONSE TO RAPIDLY CHANGING SIT WITH PROPER RESPONSE PREVENTING INJURY TO PLT AND PAX. THANKED MY INSTRUCTOR FOR THE PREPARATION THAT LIKELY SAVED OUR LIVES.