Balloon
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 6; Flight Crew Total 28; Flight Crew Type 23
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Evacuated
Procedure; Weather
Occupants of balloon were Pilot and two passengers. Flew a VFR flight maintaining minimum altitudes over a non-congested area for approximately 1 hour to the NNE of launch field covering a distance of 5 miles. Identified landing area; a harvested crop field; along the expected flight path. Reviewed landing procedures with passengers and initiated a normal descent for a final landing in field. During descent to landing field; experienced an unexpected wind-shift changing balloon track from planned. Instructed passengers on landing procedures. Increased rate of descent of balloon for landing. Landed the balloon in field next to road and continued to vent air out of envelope. During final deflation process of envelope; gust of wind compressed the mostly deflated envelope; sliding the basket on the ground across road stopping at the opposite shoulder. The balloon envelope finished deflating draping over power lines and trees. Response crew and the power company were notified to de-energize the power line and assist with recovery. Ground crew was instructed not to approach the basket. All occupants of balloon were able to exit the basket safely with no injuries. Balloon envelope was extracted from power lines; resulting in minor damage to fabric. To reduce the likeliness of incurring contact with an object after landing; a wider birth can be used when selecting landing areas to account for any unforeseen wind shifts or gusts that may be experienced upon landing or prior to complete deflation of the balloon envelope while the basket is on the ground after landing. A wider birth may be required to account for multiple possible directions of travel.
Balloon pilot reported that a wind gust on landing caused contact with power lines resulting in minor damage to the envelope fabric but no injuries.