20020216008729I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Stnson V-77 · Bowvalley, NE · February 16, 2002

Date: February 16, 2002 · 17:33 local
Place: Bowvalley, NE
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N50UL
Reported as: Stnson V77
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 180 total180 in this make and model7 in the last 90 days

N50ULRegistration cancelled Jul 31, 2021 · Cameron Balloons US V-77S/N 6205 · Built 1999 Airframe modelCameron Balloons US V-77 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) During approach to landing, pilot and passenger stated they did not see the power lines. Powerlines were hidden by trees. When the wires were observed, the pilot "dumped" the air from the balloon. The balloon basket contacted the ground, but the deflated balloon draped over the top wire, and caused the wire to break. Arching from the power line caused molten metal to drop onto the balloon, causing minor damage and started a 3 x 3 foot fire. Investigation by three FAA inspectors, two from the air, and one on the ground, the land owner, and balloon chase crew all stated the wires were not visible, unless a person is standing directly under the wires.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING APPROACH TO LANDING, PILOT AND PASSENGER STATED THEY DID NOT SEE THE POWER LINES. POWERLINES WERE HIDDEN BY TREES. WHEN THE WIRES WERE OBSERVED, THE PILOT "DUMPED" THE AIR FROM THE BALLOON. THE BALLOON BASKET CONTACTED THE GROUND, BUT THE DEFLATED BALLOON DRAPED OVER THE TOP WIRE, AND CAUSED THE WIRE TO BREAK. ARCHING FROM THE POWER LINE CAUSED MOLTEN METAL TO DROP ONTO THE BALLOON, CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE AND STARTED A 3 X 3 FOOT FIRE.INVESTIGATION BY THREE FAA INSPECTORS, TWO FROM THE AIR, AND ONE ON THE GROUND, THE LAND OWNER, AND BALLOON CHASE CREW ALL STATED THE WIRES WERE NOT VISIBLE, UNLESS A PERSON IS STANDING DIRECTLY UNDER THE WIRES.