What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A student pilot-balloon was taking a private pilot-balloon check ride with a balloon DPE. The student pilot initiated a descent. The balloon apparently descended at a faster rate than expected and the pilot lost control. The accompanying DPE assumed control of the balloon. During the exchange the balloon struck and damaged a metal light pole and possibly the ground before becoming airborne again under the dpe's control and landed safely in a field 30 minutes away from the accident site in a field near the dpe's residence.
As the FAA filed it
A STUDENT PILOT-BALLOON WAS TAKING A PRIVATE PILOT-BALLOON CHECK RIDE WITH A BALLOON DPE. THE STUDENT PILOT INITIATED A DESCENT. THE BALLOON APPARENTLY DESCENDED AT A FASTER RATE THAN EXPECTED AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL. THE ACCOMPANYING DPE ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE BALLOON. DURING THE EXCHANGE THE BALLOON STRUCK AND DAMAGED A METAL LIGHT POLE AND POSSIBLY THE GROUND BEFORE BECOMING AIRBORNE AGAIN UNDER THE DPE'S CONTROL AND LANDED SAFELY IN A FIELD 30 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE IN A FIELD NEAR THE DPE'S RESIDENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.