What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 13, 2024, a manned balloon operated by a single pilot and no additional persons on board contacted utility lines during descent to a field for landing. Contact with the utility lines resulted in damage to the balloon including the failure of two sets (3LINES each) of flying wires which secure the envelope to the basket and burns to the scoop. The basket came to rest on the ground below the utility wires and the envelope was entangled in the wires. Workers from the utility company identified a blown fuse, ensured the lines were deenergized and the balloon envelope was removed from the wires. There were no injuries associated with this accident and no additional damage identified.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2024, A MANNED BALLOON OPERATED BY A SINGLE PILOT AND NO ADDITIONAL PERSONS ON BOARD CONTACTED UTILITY LINES DURING DESCENT TO A FIELD FOR LANDING. CONTACT WITH THE UTILITY LINES RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON INCLUDING THE FAILURE OF TWO SETS (3LINES EACH) OF FLYING WIRES WHICH SECURE THE ENVELOPE TO THE BASKET AND BURNS TO THE SCOOP. THE BASKET CAME TO REST ON THE GROUND BELOW THE UTILITY WIRES AND THE ENVELOPE WAS ENTANGLED IN THE WIRES. WORKERS FROM THE UTILITY COMPANY IDENTIFIED A BLOWN FUSE, ENSURED THE LINES WERE DEENERGIZED AND THE BALLOON ENVELOPE WAS REMOVED FROM THE WIRES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACCIDENT AND NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE IDENTIFIED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.