HOT AIR BALLOON STRIKES PWR LINES ON LNDG.

Narrative

ON LNDG A HOT AIR BALLOON; I CONTACTED PWR LINES. CONDITIONS AT TIME OF LNDG AND DURING FLT WERE VFR WITH VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 10 MI. WINDS WERE LIGHT AT LNDG; APPROX 3-4 MPH. PROBABLE REASON FOR PWR LINE CONTACT WAS 'TARGET FIXATION;' THAT IS; FOCUSING ON CLRING A BARBWIRE FENCE BEFORE LNDG IN AN OPEN PASTURE. ON CONTACT WITH PWR LINES (2 LINES; RESIDENTIAL SVCS); RED LINE WAS PULLED; FUEL TANKS WERE SHUT OFF AND ELECTRICAL EQUIP (INSTS; GPS; RADIO; CELL PHONE WAS TURNED OFF). BALLOON ENVELOPE SLOWLY AND GENTLY DEFLATED OVER PWR INES. CREW IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED EMER SVCS IN BELLEVILLE; TX; WHO RESPONDED WITHIN MINS. THE ENVELOPE GRADUALLY PULLED THE 2 LINES TOGETHER CAUSING AN ARC THAT TRIGGERED A CUTOUT SWITCH THAT DISCONNECTED PWR. UTILITY EMPLOYEES ASSISTED IN THE SAFE REMOVAL OF THE ENVELOPE FROM THE PWR LINES. THE PLT AND MY PAX WERE NOT INJURED. A SUBSEQUENT EXAM OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON INDICATED NO DAMAGE. THE LACK OF DAMAGE WAS MOST LIKELY BECAUSE THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE PWR LINES WAS THE NOMEX SKIRT. THIS BALLOON IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH KEVLAR CABLES.