What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot stated that he saw the electric power pole and wires during his approach to the chosen landing site and thought he had a good angle of descent that would clear them. However, as he came within approximately 50 to 100 feet of the ground, the wind went calm. The angle of descent then changed, and the Balloon descended straight down into the wires. The basket cleared, and landed without incident or injury; however, the Balloon envelope got hung up in the wires, caught fire, and burned.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW THE ELECTRIC POWER POLE AND WIRES DURING HIS APPROACH TO THE CHOSEN LANDING SITE AND THOUGHT HE HAD A GOOD ANGLE OF DESCENT THAT WOULD CLEAR THEM. HOWEVER, AS HE CAME WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 100 FEET OF THE GROUND, THE WIND WENT CALM. THE ANGLE OF DESCENT THEN CHANGED, AND THE BALLOON DESCENDED STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE WIRES. THE BASKET CLEARED, AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT OR INJURY; HOWEVER, THE BALLOON ENVELOPE GOT HUNG UP IN THE WIRES, CAUGHT FIRE, AND BURNED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.