What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft impacted power lines during an approach to landing. The pilot had initially selected a parking lot, but, to avoid obstacles, decided to cross a highway off-ramp and land in an open area. Neither the pilot nor the two passengers saw the power lines crossing the off-ramp before impact. After the envelope hit the wires, the pilot pulled the vent line. As the balloon deflated, the wind caught the envelope and pulled the basket into the wires. One wire slid underneath the basket and caused a spark that injured one passenger. As the envelope deflated further, it descended to the ground.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED POWER LINES DURING AN APPROACH TO LANDING. THE PILOT HAD INITIALLY SELECTED A PARKING LOT, BUT, TO AVOID OBSTACLES, DECIDED TO CROSS A HIGHWAY OFF-RAMP AND LAND IN AN OPEN AREA. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE TWO PASSENGERS SAW THE POWER LINES CROSSING THE OFF-RAMP BEFORE IMPACT. AFTER THE ENVELOPE HIT THE WIRES, THE PILOT PULLED THE VENT LINE. AS THE BALLOON DEFLATED, THE WIND CAUGHT THE ENVELOPE AND PULLED THE BASKET INTO THE WIRES. ONE WIRE SLID UNDERNEATH THE BASKET AND CAUSED A SPARK THAT INJURED ONE PASSENGER. AS THE ENVELOPE DEFLATED FURTHER, IT DESCENDED TO THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5161Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.