What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Ballon was tethered witha three point 3/4" rope harness, anchorred on the upwind sides to solid trees and on the downwind side to a truck. As the four passengers boarded, the ballon was suddenly launched by "false lift", was thrown out of the harness about 80 feet. Pilot initated vent top emergency rip-out procedures unsuccessfully. Both upwind tether lines snapped, 30 seconds later the downwind tether snapped initiating free flight of the ballon. Pilot stabilized the ballon enough to initiate an emergency landing. The ballon impacted the trees about 1/8 mile downwind of original tether site. Damage to the basket was substantial wiht two of the rigid uprights having snapped.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) BALLON WAS TETHERED WITHA THREE POINT 3/4" ROPE HARNESS, ANCHORRED ON THE UPWIND SIDES TO SOLID TREES AND ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE TO A TRUCK. AS THE FOUR PASSENGERS BOARDED, THE BALLON WAS SUDDENLY LAUNCHED BY "FALSE LIFT", WAS THROWN OUT OF THE HARNESS ABOUT 80 FEET. PILOT INITATED VENT TOP EMERGENCY RIP-OUT PROCEDURES UNSUCCESSFULLY. BOTH UPWIND TETHER LINES SNAPPED, 30 SECONDS LATER THE DOWNWIND TETHER SNAPPED INITIATING FREE FLIGHT OF THE BALLON. PILOT STABILIZED THE BALLON ENOUGH TO INITIATE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE BALLON IMPACTED THE TREES ABOUT 1/8 MILE DOWNWIND OF ORIGINAL TETHER SITE. DAMAGE TO THE BASKET WAS SUBSTANTIAL WIHT TWO OF THE RIGID UPRIGHTS HAVING SNAPPED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.