What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On October 23, 2002, about 1700 eastern daylight time, an avian balloons Skyhawk, N71AV, was not damaged when it collided with wires during a descent to land near Cottageville, west Virginia. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured, while the passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to a federal aviation administration inspector, as the balloon was descending to a field, the pilot observed power lines in the decent path. Before striking the power lines, the pilot and passenger jumped from the balloon. The balloon struck the power lines and descended to the ground. The recorded weather at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, included winds from 100 degrees at 5 knots. (-23) while attempting to land the pilot observed a horse in the anticipated touch down area and elected to ascend for another suitable landing area. Immediately after starting the ascent the pilot and passenger observed power lines and felt they would be unable to climb over them. Both pilot and pa ssenger elected to bail out of the balloon, prior to contact with the power lines, at approximately 15 feet AGL. The pilot sustained a broken left ankle and a back sprain. The passenger sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON OCTOBER 23, 2002, ABOUT 1700 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AVIAN BALLOONS SKYHAWK, N71AV, WAS NOT DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH WIRES DURING A DESCENT TO LAND NEAR COTTAGEVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, WHILE THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR, AS THE BALLOON WAS DESCENDING TO A FIELD, THE PILOT OBSERVED POWER LINES IN THE DECENT PATH. BEFORE STRIKING THE POWER LINES, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER JUMPED FROM THE BALLOON. THE BALLOON STRUCK THE POWER LINES AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. THE RECORDED WEATHER AT A NEARBY AIRPORT, ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, INCLUDED WINDS FROM 100 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS. (-23) WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND THE PILOT OBSERVED A HORSE IN THE ANTICIPATED TOUCH DOWN AREA AND ELECTED TO ASCEND FOR ANOTHER SUITABLE LANDING AREA. IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THE ASCENT THE PILOT AND PASSENGER OBSERVED POWER LINES AND FELT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO CLIMB OVER THEM. BOTH PILOT AND PA SSENGER ELECTED TO BAIL OUT OF THE BALLOON, PRIOR TO CONTACT WITH THE POWER LINES, AT APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET AGL. THE PILOT SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEFT ANKLE AND A BACK SPRAIN. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND REFUSED MEDICAL ATTENTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.