What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 5, 2002, approximately 0720 mountain daylight time, a Head balloons, inc. AX8-88, N4522E, registered to and being operated by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted power lines while landing approximately one mile southwest of Victor, Idaho. The pilot and two passengers were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was operated under 14 CFR 91, and originated from the teton springs resort, Victor, Idaho, approximately 0700. The pilot reported that about 20 minutes after departure he encountered westerly winds of 10 mph increasing and selected an alternate landing site. During his approach one of the passengers called "power lines" and about 5-10 seconds later the upper supports of the basket contacted the power lines. The basket came to rest on a highway and all three occupants exited. (-23) pilot was conducting a high wind approach to landing, was distracted by passengers in basket, passenger yelled "wires" and pilot was unable to avert contact. Power lines contacted the balloon uprights causing damage to two suspension cables, balloon envelope fell onto barbed wire fence causing five 1/4 inch holes above the balloon equator. No injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 5, 2002, APPROXIMATELY 0720 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HEAD BALLOONS, INC. AX8-88, N4522E, REGISTERED TO AND BEING OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED POWER LINES WHILE LANDING APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SOUTHWEST OF VICTOR, IDAHO. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS PERSONAL, WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR 91, AND ORIGINATED FROM THE TETON SPRINGS RESORT, VICTOR, IDAHO, APPROXIMATELY 0700. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE HE ENCOUNTERED WESTERLY WINDS OF 10 MPH INCREASING AND SELECTED AN ALTERNATE LANDING SITE. DURING HIS APPROACH ONE OF THE PASSENGERS CALLED "POWER LINES" AND ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS LATER THE UPPER SUPPORTS OF THE BASKET CONTACTED THE POWER LINES. THE BASKET CAME TO REST ON A HIGHWAY AND ALL THREE OCCUPANTS EXITED. (-23) PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A HIGH WIND APPROACH TO LANDING, WAS DISTRACTED BY PASSENGERS IN BASKET, PASSENGER YELLED "WIRES" AND PILOT WAS UNABLE TO AVERT CONTACT. POWER LINES CONTACTED THE BALLOON UPRIGHTS CAUSING DAMAGE TO TWO SUSPENSION CABLES, BALLOON ENVELOPE FELL ONTO BARBED WIRE FENCE CAUSING FIVE 1/4 INCH HOLES ABOVE THE BALLOON EQUATOR. NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4522E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.