What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft was on an approach to land to a field west of his location. He was following drainage (winds) to get to his field. When he was on his approach and at a lower altitude to gain steerage to make his landing field, a passenger noted a power line. The pilot knew he was not going to cross and/or be able to out climb the power line. So he made the determination to land and pulled the top (parachute) out by pulling the vent line. The aircraft?s steel cables came in contact with two wires which cause 3 of the 24 steel cables that attach from the frame of the basket to the envelope to sever. The scoop had some damage, however most of the tears in the scoop were due to the power company getting the envelope off of the power line.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON AN APPROACH TO LAND TO A FIELD WEST OF HIS LOCATION. HE WAS FOLLOWING DRAINAGE (WINDS) TO GET TO HIS FIELD. WHEN HE WAS ON HIS APPROACH AND AT A LOWER ALTITUDE TO GAIN STEERAGE TO MAKE HIS LANDING FIELD, A PASSENGER NOTED A POWER LINE. THE PILOT KNEW HE WAS NOT GOING TO CROSS AND/OR BE ABLE TO OUT CLIMB THE POWER LINE. SO HE MADE THE DETERMINATION TO LAND AND PULLED THE TOP (PARACHUTE) OUT BY PULLING THE VENT LINE. THE AIRCRAFT?S STEEL CABLES CAME IN CONTACT WITH TWO WIRES WHICH CAUSE 3 OF THE 24 STEEL CABLES THAT ATTACH FROM THE FRAME OF THE BASKET TO THE ENVELOPE TO SEVER. THE SCOOP HAD SOME DAMAGE, HOWEVER MOST OF THE TEARS IN THE SCOOP WERE DUE TO THE POWER COMPANY GETTING THE ENVELOPE OFF OF THE POWER LINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.