What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 03/24/2018 N1517H contacted power lines. Before landing pilot learned that primary landing site field had been roped off due to an easter egg hunt and had to use his alternate landing site which was on the other side of the shopping center. As pilot flew over and began his decent he saw the power lines as he passed over the shopping center. He used both burners to try to clear the power lines but was not able to clear them which resulted in the basket making contact with the power lines. The basket and balloon went straight down once contact was made for a hard landing. This resulted in the 2 passengers being transported to the local hospital with minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON 03/24/2018 N1517H CONTACTED POWER LINES. BEFORE LANDING PILOT LEARNED THAT PRIMARY LANDING SITE FIELD HAD BEEN ROPED OFF DUE TO AN EASTER EGG HUNT AND HAD TO USE HIS ALTERNATE LANDING SITE WHICH WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHOPPING CENTER. AS PILOT FLEW OVER AND BEGAN HIS DECENT HE SAW THE POWER LINES AS HE PASSED OVER THE SHOPPING CENTER. HE USED BOTH BURNERS TO TRY TO CLEAR THE POWER LINES BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO CLEAR THEM WHICH RESULTED IN THE BASKET MAKING CONTACT WITH THE POWER LINES. THE BASKET AND BALLOON WENT STRAIGHT DOWN ONCE CONTACT WAS MADE FOR A HARD LANDING. THIS RESULTED IN THE 2 PASSENGERS BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL WITH MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.