What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) A full stop landing was accomplished at 2010 in a cut hay field. No one near by for crew to receive land owner permission. Competition event requires land owner permission. Pilot made decision to fly on due to onset of darkness and competition rules. Upon approaching second landing site, pilot had to cross highway and low power lines. Pilot called to people in field for permission and removed drop line from pouch at which point there was a constant descent towards the power lines. Pilot decided to allow the balloon to continue the descent at which point he evacuated the balloon approximately 10 feet above the ground. Balloon basket repelled off the power line, went airborne and landed approximately 100 yards from power lines. There were no passengers on board which allowed the balloon to sustain airborne for crew to retrieve. No aircraft damage was sustained. Pilot injury occurred to left ankle upon striking the uneven ground.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) A FULL STOP LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT 2010 IN A CUT HAY FIELD. NO ONE NEAR BY FOR CREW TO RECEIVE LAND OWNER PERMISSION. COMPETITION EVENT REQUIRES LAND OWNER PERMISSION. PILOT MADE DECISION TO FLY ON DUE TO ONSET OF DARKNESS AND COMPETITION RULES. UPON APPROACHING SECOND LANDING SITE, PILOT HAD TO CROSS HIGHWAY AND LOW POWER LINES. PILOT CALLED TO PEOPLE IN FIELD FOR PERMISSION AND REMOVED DROP LINE FROM POUCH AT WHICH POINT THERE WAS A CONSTANT DESCENT TOWARDS THE POWER LINES. PILOT DECIDED TO ALLOW THE BALLOON TO CONTINUE THE DESCENT AT WHICH POINT HE EVACUATED THE BALLOON APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. BALLOON BASKET REPELLED OFF THE POWER LINE, WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM POWER LINES. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD WHICH ALLOWED THE BALLOON TO SUSTAIN AIRBORNE FOR CREW TO RETRIEVE. NO AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED. PILOT INJURY OCCURRED TO LEFT ANKLE UPON STRIKING THE UNEVEN GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.