What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Balloon with pilot and one passenger struck and became entangled in pwerline. Balloon basket became engulfed in flames due to arcing from powerlines. Pilot either fell or was ejected from basket after striking lines. Balloon basket was freed from powerlines and continued to burn. Balloon rapidly climbed to altitude above 1,000 feet due to superheated gases from fire. Basket structure collapsed, causing passenger to fall. The envelope continued to drift, minus the basket, for approximately 2 miles, eventually coming to rest in parking lot of mall.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) BALLOON WITH PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER STRUCK AND BECAME ENTANGLED IN PWERLINE. BALLOON BASKET BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES DUE TO ARCING FROM POWERLINES. PILOT EITHER FELL OR WAS EJECTED FROM BASKET AFTER STRIKING LINES. BALLOON BASKET WAS FREED FROM POWERLINES AND CONTINUED TO BURN. BALLOON RAPIDLY CLIMBED TO ALTITUDE ABOVE 1,000 FEET DUE TO SUPERHEATED GASES FROM FIRE. BASKET STRUCTURE COLLAPSED, CAUSING PASSENGER TO FALL. THE ENVELOPE CONTINUED TO DRIFT, MINUS THE BASKET, FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES, EVENTUALLY COMING TO REST IN PARKING LOT OF MALL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.