What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 19, 2022, at approximately 0800 MST, an lta-balloon, privacy data omitted was involved in an incident where it struck high-tension power lines during the landing phase.
The purpose of the flight was carrying paying passengers in a commercial sight-seeing capacity. No FAA flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred minor damage during the initial wire strike upon landing. The pilot stated he was caught in a downdraft during landing from which he was unable to recover.
Subsequently, the local power company,privacy data omitted caused additional substantial damage to the balloon envelope while removing it from the power lines. The pilot and all passengers had exited the balloon basket prior to the power company attempting to remove the balloon envelope from the power lines.
Neither the pilot nor passengers were injured.
The pilot is an FAA commercial-rated pilot in lta-balloons. The flight originated in rio rancho, NM.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 19, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 MST, AN LTA-BALLOON, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT WHERE IT STRUCK HIGH-TENSION POWER LINES DURING THE LANDING PHASE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS CARRYING PAYING PASSENGERS IN A COMMERCIAL SIGHT-SEEING CAPACITY. NO FAA FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT INCURRED MINOR DAMAGE DURING THE INITIAL WIRE STRIKE UPON LANDING. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS CAUGHT IN A DOWNDRAFT DURING LANDING FROM WHICH HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER.
SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LOCAL POWER COMPANY,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CAUSED ADDITIONAL SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON ENVELOPE WHILE REMOVING IT FROM THE POWER LINES. THE PILOT AND ALL PASSENGERS HAD EXITED THE BALLOON BASKET PRIOR TO THE POWER COMPANY ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE BALLOON ENVELOPE FROM THE POWER LINES.
NEITHER THE PILOT NOR PASSENGERS WERE INJURED.
THE PILOT IS AN FAA COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT IN LTA-BALLOONS. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN RIO RANCHO, NM.