What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Safety restraint strap that runs between two carabiners at the burner frame broke during night balloon envelope was inflated and hot. Balloon broke loose from the tie down and lost control, striking one crewmember and a van from another balloon team. No injuries to bystanders and minor damage to the van. Balloon became airborne. Pilot regained control. Pilot flew for 2-3 miles and landed at the first avaiable site in the dark. No damage to the balloon. No injuries. Winds at the time were reported 200 at 11 knots, with gusts to 18. Pilot utilized one safety restraint to secure the balloon during the glow. Safety restraint equipment, including the strap that broke, is not part of the aircraft certification process, thus not regulated by the FAA. The strap that broke was homemade, double layered, and rated at 1200 pounds. The balloon manufacturer makes these straps, tripple layered and rated at 5,000 pounds.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) SAFETY RESTRAINT STRAP THAT RUNS BETWEEN TWO CARABINERS AT THE BURNER FRAME BROKE DURING NIGHT BALLOON ENVELOPE WAS INFLATED AND HOT. BALLOON BROKE LOOSE FROM THE TIE DOWN AND LOST CONTROL, STRIKING ONE CREWMEMBER AND A VAN FROM ANOTHER BALLOON TEAM. NO INJURIES TO BYSTANDERS AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE VAN. BALLOON BECAME AIRBORNE. PILOT REGAINED CONTROL. PILOT FLEW FOR 2-3 MILES AND LANDED AT THE FIRST AVAIABLE SITE IN THE DARK. NO DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON. NO INJURIES. WINDS AT THE TIME WERE REPORTED 200 AT 11 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS TO 18. PILOT UTILIZED ONE SAFETY RESTRAINT TO SECURE THE BALLOON DURING THE GLOW. SAFETY RESTRAINT EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING THE STRAP THAT BROKE, IS NOT PART OF THE AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION PROCESS, THUS NOT REGULATED BY THE FAA. THE STRAP THAT BROKE WAS HOMEMADE, DOUBLE LAYERED, AND RATED AT 1200 POUNDS. THE BALLOON MANUFACTURER MAKES THESE STRAPS, TRIPPLE LAYERED AND RATED AT 5,000 POUNDS.