What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Hot air balloon in race, struck a powerline, caught fire and crashed in a field. (.4)the basket on a balloon was destroyed by fire when it contacted power lines during landing. The poles and wires were reported as difficult to see due to trees and vegetation. Two witnesses reported that the pilot was talking with ground crew personnel, and was facing opposite of the direction that the balloon was traveling, just prior to the accident. The electric company had given out maps to the pilots, showing the locations of the power lines in the area.
As the FAA filed it
HOT AIR BALLOON IN RACE, STRUCK A POWERLINE, CAUGHT FIRE AND CRASHED IN A FIELD. (.4)THE BASKET ON A BALLOON WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE WHEN IT CONTACTED POWER LINES DURING LANDING. THE POLES AND WIRES WERE REPORTED AS DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO TREES AND VEGETATION. TWO WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT WAS TALKING WITH GROUND CREW PERSONNEL, AND WAS FACING OPPOSITE OF THE DIRECTION THAT THE BALLOON WAS TRAVELING, JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE ELECTRIC COMPANY HAD GIVEN OUT MAPS TO THE PILOTS, SHOWING THE LOCATIONS OF THE POWER LINES IN THE AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.