What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: on August 12, 1996, Mr. Paul petrehn operated Aerostar Raven, hot air balloon, N9002G, as pilot in command at the U.S. National hot air balloon championship at Columbia, Missouri. At approximately 1852 CDT, during the takeoff phase of a competitive event, Mr. Petrehn contacted the top strand of a powerline with the bottom of the balloon basket resulting in a line breakage and a power outage to 22 homes for over an hour. There were no injuries to Mr. Petrehn and no damage to the balloon. Mr. Petrehn said the surface winds may have been stronger than those reported at the primary launch site during the pilot briefing. Mr. Petrehn is the sole owner of Aerostar N9002G and was the only occupant in the balloon basket when the incident occurred. privacy data omitted This incident report is closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: ON AUGUST 12, 1996, MR. PAUL PETREHN OPERATED AEROSTAR RAVEN, HOT AIR BALLOON, N9002G, AS PILOT IN COMMAND AT THE U.S. NATIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON CHAMPIONSHIP AT COLUMBIA, MISSOURI. AT APPROXIMATELY 1852 CDT, DURING THE TAKEOFF PHASE OF A COMPETITIVE EVENT, MR. PETREHN CONTACTED THE TOP STRAND OF A POWERLINE WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE BALLOON BASKET RESULTING IN A LINE BREAKAGE AND A POWER OUTAGE TO 22 HOMES FOR OVER AN HOUR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO MR. PETREHN AND NO DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON. MR. PETREHN SAID THE SURFACE WINDS MAY HAVE BEEN STRONGER THAN THOSE REPORTED AT THE PRIMARY LAUNCH SITE DURING THE PILOT BRIEFING. MR. PETREHN IS THE SOLE OWNER OF AEROSTAR N9002G AND WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE BALLOON BASKET WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THIS INCIDENT REPORT IS CLOSED.