20201225020569A

ON DECEMBER 25, 2020 WE PICKED UP OUR PASSENGERS IN THE AFTERNOON AT APPROXIMATELY 3:45 AND PROCEEDED TO OUR PROPOSED LAUNCH SITE AT THE CAP CANAL AND LAKE PLEASANT PARKWAY. WE LAID OUT THE BALLOON TO THE NORTHEAST AND INFLATED. WHEN I STOOD THE BALLOON UP WE BOARDED THE PASSENGERS AND I WENT OVER THE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDING LANDING POSITIONS. I SET THE TOP AND WE LAUNCHED TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE CAP CANAL . WE MADE A STEADY CLIMB TO AROUND 5000 FT MSL AND FLEW TO THE SOUTH. WE DROPPED DOWN TO AROUND 3000 FT MSL AND ROAD WEST. WE CLIMBED BACK UP SLIGHTLY AND PROCEEDED TO THE WEST NORTH WEST BEFORE MOVING BACK TO THE NORTH NORTHEAST TOWARD THE CAREFREE HIGHWAY. AS WE APPROACHED THE POWERLINES SOUTH OF THE CAREFREE HIGHWAY THE WINDS SHIFTED TO THE EAST SOUTH EAST AND I CALLED MY CHASE CREW TO CONTINUE SOUTH ON THE DIRT TWO TRACK THAT HE WAS ON. THE BALLOON WAS MOVING AWAY FROM THE POWERLINES IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION AS I MADE MY FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING. I GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO MY PASSENGERS TO GET INTO THEIR LANDING POSITIONS AND MADE MY APPROACH TO LANDING STILL MOVING AWAY FROM THE POWERLINES TO THE SOUTHEAST. I LET THE PASSENGERS KNOW THAT WE WERE GOING TO BOUNCE AND WE MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 100 TO 150 YARDS TO THE SOUTH OF THE POWERLINES STILL MOVING TO THE SOUTH EAST AT APPROXIMATELY 2.5 KNOTS, WE EXPERIENCED ONE SMALL HOP AND WHEN WE CONTACTED THE GROUND AGAIN WE WERE IMMEDIATELY LAUNCHED INTO THE AIR ALMOST STRAIGHT NORTH INTO THE POWERLINES. I TOLD THE PASSENGERS TO REMAIN DOWN IN THE BASKET AND NOT TOUCH ANYTHING. THE STEEL ATTACHMENT CABLES STRUCK THE POWERLINES AND AN ARCH OF ELECTRICITY MELTED SEVERAL PANELS OF FABRIC ABOVE OUR HEADS. THE ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER THE CABLES AND WE HUNG ABOVE THE GROUND MOMENTARILY. AS THE ENVELOPE RELEASED FROM THE POWERLINES THE BASKET DROPPED TO THE GROUND AND ROLLED ON IT'S SIDE. I REMOVED THE PASSENGERS FROM THE BASKET AND CHECKED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WAS OKAY. THEY BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED TO ME THAT THEY WERE OKAY. THE YOUNG LADY HAD SOME MELTED FABRIC IN HER HAIR AND I PICKED OUT A COUPLE OF PIECES OF MELTED FABRIC FROM HER HAIR. THERE WAS NO FIRE IN THE BASKET AND THE MELTED FABRIC ON THE BALLOON I ASSUME WAS FROM THE ARCHING OF THE STEEL CABLES CONTACTING THE POWERLINES. THE PEORIA POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AND TO PICTURES AND MADE THEIR REPORT. I WAS TOO INVOLVED WITH THE PASSENGERS WELFARE AND THE INTERVIEW WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO TAKE ANY PICTURES. I DID NOT RECEIVE A COPY OF THE REPORT AND HAVE NOT SEEN IT. THE PASSENGER WENT TO URGENT CARE AND I DID NOT SPEAK TO THEM UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY . I CALLED THEM THE EVENING OF THE INCIDENT BUT MY CALL WENT TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ VOICE MAIL. WHEN I SPOKE TO HIM THE FOLLOWING DAY HE INFORMED ME THAT HE RECEIVED SOME PAIN MEDICATION FROM URGENT CARE FOR PAIN IN HIS BACK AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS GIVEN OINTMENT FOR MINOR BURNS SHE RECEIVED FROM THE MELTING FABRIC FALLING ON HER.