What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Saturday, August 29, 2026, at approximately 0630 eastern daylight time (EDT), a lindstrand 105A manned free balloon, privacy data omitted, departed the northern Maine fairgrounds, Presque Isle, Maine, during the morning mass ascension of the crown of Maine balloon fest. The flight was a passenger-carrying sightseeing flight with one pilot and four paying passengers. Approximately 14 other balloons departed the same launch field during the same launch window. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed.
The balloon flew for approximately 38 minutes. The pilot selected an open field near higgins road, Presque Isle, Maine, as a landing site. During the approach, the pilot determined the field was not suitable for landing. The pilot reported a wind gust that displaced the balloon to the left and placed it on a flight path aligned with a power pole and associated overhead power line. The pilot applied burner input to initiate a climb and discontinue the approach. The balloon contacted the top of the power line and disconnected the conductor from the pole. The power line fell to the ground, across higgins road, and onto an occupied motor vehicle. Occupants of the vehicle were not injured. Vehicle make, model, and occupant identities were not obtained.
The pilot terminated the climb and landed in the field. There was no damage to the balloon envelope or basket. The pilot and four passengers were not injured. No injuries were reported to persons on the ground.
The occurrence time was approximately 0708 EDT (1108 UTC). Presque Isle fire department and police were on scene. The NTSB was notified.
The pilot reported surface winds of 4 to 6 mph. The nearest official weather observations at Presque Isle international airport (kpqi), approximately 3 miles from the launch site, were:
Kpqi 0656 EDT / 1056 UTC: wind south-southwest at 3 knots, fair conditions, temperature 48°f, dew point approximately 47°f, altimeter 29.53 in hg.
Kpqi 0756 EDT / 1156 UTC: wind calm, fair conditions, temperature 55°f, dew point approximately 50°f, altimeter 29.54 in hg.
As the FAA filed it
ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 0630 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A LINDSTRAND 105A MANNED FREE BALLOON, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED THE NORTHERN MAINE FAIRGROUNDS, PRESQUE ISLE, MAINE, DURING THE MORNING MASS ASCENSION OF THE CROWN OF MAINE BALLOON FEST. THE FLIGHT WAS A PASSENGER-CARRYING SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WITH ONE PILOT AND FOUR PAYING PASSENGERS. APPROXIMATELY 14 OTHER BALLOONS DEPARTED THE SAME LAUNCH FIELD DURING THE SAME LAUNCH WINDOW. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
THE BALLOON FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY 38 MINUTES. THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD NEAR HIGGINS ROAD, PRESQUE ISLE, MAINE, AS A LANDING SITE. DURING THE APPROACH, THE PILOT DETERMINED THE FIELD WAS NOT SUITABLE FOR LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED A WIND GUST THAT DISPLACED THE BALLOON TO THE LEFT AND PLACED IT ON A FLIGHT PATH ALIGNED WITH A POWER POLE AND ASSOCIATED OVERHEAD POWER LINE. THE PILOT APPLIED BURNER INPUT TO INITIATE A CLIMB AND DISCONTINUE THE APPROACH. THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE TOP OF THE POWER LINE AND DISCONNECTED THE CONDUCTOR FROM THE POLE. THE POWER LINE FELL TO THE GROUND, ACROSS HIGGINS ROAD, AND ONTO AN OCCUPIED MOTOR VEHICLE. OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE NOT INJURED. VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL, AND OCCUPANT IDENTITIES WERE NOT OBTAINED.
THE PILOT TERMINATED THE CLIMB AND LANDED IN THE FIELD. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON ENVELOPE OR BASKET. THE PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED TO PERSONS ON THE GROUND.
THE OCCURRENCE TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 0708 EDT (1108 UTC). PRESQUE ISLE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE WERE ON SCENE. THE NTSB WAS NOTIFIED.
THE PILOT REPORTED SURFACE WINDS OF 4 TO 6 MPH. THE NEAREST OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATIONS AT PRESQUE ISLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KPQI), APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES FROM THE LAUNCH SITE, WERE:
KPQI 0656 EDT / 1056 UTC: WIND SOUTH-SOUTHWEST AT 3 KNOTS, FAIR CONDITIONS, TEMPERATURE 48°F, DEW POINT APPROXIMATELY 47°F, ALTIMETER 29.53 IN HG.
KPQI 0756 EDT / 1156 UTC: WIND CALM, FAIR CONDITIONS, TEMPERATURE 55°F, DEW POINT APPROXIMATELY 50°F, ALTIMETER 29.54 IN HG.