What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 11th, 2003 at approximately 7:30 am local time, hot air balloon, registration number N9011J, piloted by Mr. James b. dutrow, impacted the ground during a twenty knot gust and substantial damage occurred to the balloon. At the time there were two passengers, the pilot received serious injury and the two passengers received minor injuries. During the landing, a large down-draft of approximately twenty knots was encountered. The pilot tried to overcome the down-draft with both burners, but was unsuccessful. The basket hit a fence, the pilot pulled the balloon dump, and the female passenger fell out of the basket. The balloon bounced again on the ground, the pilot and other passenger were thrown from the basket. The balloon ended up draped over a high voltage power line and shorted it out. The basket was destroyed and the envelope was damaged.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 11TH, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:30 AM LOCAL TIME, HOT AIR BALLOON, REGISTRATION NUMBER N9011J, PILOTED BY MR. JAMES B. DUTROW, IMPACTED THE GROUND DURING A TWENTY KNOT GUST AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE BALLOON. AT THE TIME THERE WERE TWO PASSENGERS, THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURY AND THE TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. DURING THE LANDING, A LARGE DOWN-DRAFT OF APPROXIMATELY TWENTY KNOTS WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PILOT TRIED TO OVERCOME THE DOWN-DRAFT WITH BOTH BURNERS, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE BASKET HIT A FENCE, THE PILOT PULLED THE BALLOON DUMP, AND THE FEMALE PASSENGER FELL OUT OF THE BASKET. THE BALLOON BOUNCED AGAIN ON THE GROUND, THE PILOT AND OTHER PASSENGER WERE THROWN FROM THE BASKET. THE BALLOON ENDED UP DRAPED OVER A HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINE AND SHORTED IT OUT. THE BASKET WAS DESTROYED AND THE ENVELOPE WAS DAMAGED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.