What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 4, 2008, a pilot and two passengers departed a park near the intersection of flannery and goodwood streets in Baton Rouge, LA. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, a change in wind direction caused the pilot to change her point of intended landing. The change in the wind direction resulted in the balloon heading toward two tall towers (approximately 1,700 feet AGL) south of Baton Rouge. The balloon encountered additional wind sheer aloft while trying to climb over the towers. The wind sheer was enough to upset the basket and cause the passengers to fall to the floor of the basket. The pilot initiated a steep descent to a field off of river road as to avoid crossing the Mississippi river. Upon landing in a field, the direction of the wind shifted and pushed the balloon into a nearby tree. The fabric on the envelope was torn when the envelope snagged on the tree limbs. There were no injuries reported.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 4, 2008, A PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED A PARK NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF FLANNERY AND GOODWOOD STREETS IN BATON ROUGE, LA. APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, A CHANGE IN WIND DIRECTION CAUSED THE PILOT TO CHANGE HER POINT OF INTENDED LANDING. THE CHANGE IN THE WIND DIRECTION RESULTED IN THE BALLOON HEADING TOWARD TWO TALL TOWERS (APPROXIMATELY 1,700 FEET AGL) SOUTH OF BATON ROUGE. THE BALLOON ENCOUNTERED ADDITIONAL WIND SHEER ALOFT WHILE TRYING TO CLIMB OVER THE TOWERS. THE WIND SHEER WAS ENOUGH TO UPSET THE BASKET AND CAUSE THE PASSENGERS TO FALL TO THE FLOOR OF THE BASKET. THE PILOT INITIATED A STEEP DESCENT TO A FIELD OFF OF RIVER ROAD AS TO AVOID CROSSING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. UPON LANDING IN A FIELD, THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND SHIFTED AND PUSHED THE BALLOON INTO A NEARBY TREE. THE FABRIC ON THE ENVELOPE WAS TORN WHEN THE ENVELOPE SNAGGED ON THE TREE LIMBS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED.