What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During a cross-country competitive flight on October 2, 2005, N96YD, a grom-1 gas balloon, was entangled in power lines near Lakin, KS. While in the process of disengaging from the power lines and releasing ballast, privacy data omitted, holder of commercial pilot certificate privacy data omitted and pilot in command of the aircraft, fell from the gondola and landed on the ground, suffering some injury. After losing weight the balloon rose from the accident site with the remaining rated pilot, privacy data omitted, holder of commercial pilot certificate privacy data omitted, on board finally coming to rest at a location some 15 to 18 miles from the incident site. Both pilots claim a "downdraft" forced the balloon's descent from the cruising altitude of 14,000 feet to the earth's surface.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY COMPETITIVE FLIGHT ON OCTOBER 2, 2005, N96YD, A GROM-1 GAS BALLOON, WAS ENTANGLED IN POWER LINES NEAR LAKIN, KS. WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF DISENGAGING FROM THE POWER LINES AND RELEASING BALLAST, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HOLDER OF COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT, FELL FROM THE GONDOLA AND LANDED ON THE GROUND, SUFFERING SOME INJURY. AFTER LOSING WEIGHT THE BALLOON ROSE FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE WITH THE REMAINING RATED PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HOLDER OF COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ON BOARD FINALLY COMING TO REST AT A LOCATION SOME 15 TO 18 MILES FROM THE INCIDENT SITE. BOTH PILOTS CLAIM A "DOWNDRAFT" FORCED THE BALLOON'S DESCENT FROM THE CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 14,000 FEET TO THE EARTH'S SURFACE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.