What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 22, 2003, at 0851 pacific standard time, an Aerostar RX-7 balloon, N6413N, collided with a power line while maneuvering to land in a meadow northwest of Reno, Nevada. The balloon, owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 of the federal aviation regulations, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight that departed from a nearby field at an undetermined time. No flight plan was filed. A responding washoe county deputy sheriff interviewed the pilot. According to the officer, the pilot said that he was crossing a north-south ridge line approaching a landing spot in a meadow. As the balloon flew over the descending slope, it crossed a stream. The pilot reported that he then encountered a terrain induced southerly air current, which blew the balloon into the power lines. (-23) on February 22, 2003 at 0851 local time, Mr. Haliczer was making an approach to land in an Aerostar RX-7 hot air balloon to a field south of the city of Reno, NV. During the landing the balloon hit power lines, with sub stantial damage to the balloon and basket.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 22, 2003, AT 0851 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN AEROSTAR RX-7 BALLOON, N6413N, COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND IN A MEADOW NORTHWEST OF RENO, NEVADA. THE BALLOON, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED FROM A NEARBY FIELD AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. A RESPONDING WASHOE COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. ACCORDING TO THE OFFICER, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS CROSSING A NORTH-SOUTH RIDGE LINE APPROACHING A LANDING SPOT IN A MEADOW. AS THE BALLOON FLEW OVER THE DESCENDING SLOPE, IT CROSSED A STREAM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE THEN ENCOUNTERED A TERRAIN INDUCED SOUTHERLY AIR CURRENT, WHICH BLEW THE BALLOON INTO THE POWER LINES. (-23) ON FEBRUARY 22, 2003 AT 0851 LOCAL TIME, MR. HALICZER WAS MAKING AN APPROACH TO LAND IN AN AEROSTAR RX-7 HOT AIR BALLOON TO A FIELD SOUTH OF THE CITY OF RENO, NV. DURING THE LANDING THE BALLOON HIT POWER LINES, WITH SUB STANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON AND BASKET.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.