Two people received minor burns when a hot-air balloon got tangled in power lines in Marana while attempting to land in a field Friday morning.
Nine people were in the balloon’s basket and two were taken to the hospital due to minor burns from melted pieces of the balloon that fell on them, said Patrick Calhoun, a spokesman for the Avra Valley Fire District.
Accoring to Federal Aviation Administration records, the balloon is registered to Patrick Nilz, who is also a pilot for Southern Arizona Balloon Excursions.
The balloon’s registration is expired, records show. Aircraft owners are alerted when their registration is about to expire and the FAA allows a grace period if the owners fail to re-register before their expiration date, said Ian Gregor, an FAA spokesman
“However, this is not a safety issue,” Gregor said. “It has nothing to do with the condition of the aircraft.
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Residents in the Marana and Dove Mountain area experienced power outages while crews worked to untangle the balloon.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting an investigation of the accident.
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