What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Hot air balloon was landing when the wind shifted, and the acft struck a power line. On 10/09/98, approximately 1011 mountain daylight time, a thunder & colt model AX9, N790TC, operated by Mr. Joseph a. smith was damaged when it draped over a powerline while deflating approximately 2 miles south of the balloon fiesta feild, albequerque, NM. The pilot-in-command, and four passengers received minor electrical shocks when the envelope was caught in a crosswind gust and draped over the pwoerline. Mr. Smith holds a commercial pilot ceritificate with lighter-than-air, free balloon rating. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the pleasure flight, which was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. The flight originated from the balloon fiesta field, albuquerque, NM, approximately 0730 MDT.
As the FAA filed it
HOT AIR BALLOON WAS LANDING WHEN THE WIND SHIFTED, AND THE ACFT STRUCK A POWER LINE. ON 10/09/98, APPROXIMATELY 1011 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A THUNDER & COLT MODEL AX9, N790TC, OPERATED BY MR. JOSEPH A. SMITH WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT DRAPED OVER A POWERLINE WHILE DEFLATING APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES SOUTH OF THE BALLOON FIESTA FEILD, ALBEQUERQUE, NM. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, AND FOUR PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR ELECTRICAL SHOCKS WHEN THE ENVELOPE WAS CAUGHT IN A CROSSWIND GUST AND DRAPED OVER THE PWOERLINE. MR. SMITH HOLDS A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERITIFICATE WITH LIGHTER-THAN-AIR, FREE BALLOON RATING. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PLEASURE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BALLOON FIESTA FIELD, ALBUQUERQUE, NM, APPROXIMATELY 0730 MDT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.