What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was conducting an evening commercial sightseeing flight with six passengers. Pilot stated he conducted a thorough preflight weather review. After launch the surface wind increased considerably, instead of decreasing as the weather forecast indicated. Pilot was planning for a landing in an open field past a river when he encountered windshear. The burner flame curved horizontally and heat was not entering the balloon envelope. The balloon made a left turn and struck cottonwood trees along the river bank and landed on the edge of the river in the water.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN EVENING COMMERCIAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WITH SIX PASSENGERS. PILOT STATED HE CONDUCTED A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT WEATHER REVIEW. AFTER LAUNCH THE SURFACE WIND INCREASED CONSIDERABLY, INSTEAD OF DECREASING AS THE WEATHER FORECAST INDICATED. PILOT WAS PLANNING FOR A LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD PAST A RIVER WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED WINDSHEAR. THE BURNER FLAME CURVED HORIZONTALLY AND HEAT WAS NOT ENTERING THE BALLOON ENVELOPE. THE BALLOON MADE A LEFT TURN AND STRUCK COTTONWOOD TREES ALONG THE RIVER BANK AND LANDED ON THE EDGE OF THE RIVER IN THE WATER.