Hamilton hot air balloon crash sounded like 'fireworks': witness

The 'Hamilton' hot air balloon just seconds before it crashes into a power pole in Hamilton's Swarbrick Park on Sunday morning. Photo / Nicole Harvey

A hot air balloon pilot and his passengers have walked away unscathed after crashing into a power pole and tree.

The balloon hit a power pole in Swarbrick Park, in the Hamilton suburb of Dinsdale, about 7.45am today.

Witness Nicole Harvey was on her balcony taking photos of the balloon as it made its descent when there was a "bang".

She said the sound was like fireworks going off. She started filming as the balloon was secured and brought down to the ground.

Pilot Mark Brown said he was thankful nobody was injured in the crash and proud of how his passengers stayed calm as he got people on the ground to help free the balloon from the pole and tree.

"No one was hurt and we lifted it off the pole and put it back down on the ground again.

The 'Hamilton' hot air balloon pictured in the air just prior to crashing into a power pole. Photo / Nicole Harvey

"Everything was fine, the passengers were really great and it was just one of those days."

The incident had been reported to the Civil Aviation Authority, but as there were no injuries it would only incur "a reprimand", he said.

The balloon was trapped on the pole and in the tree for five minutes at the most, he said.

"No one was injured and everybody in the basket was fine, it was more of a 'what the hell do I do now, sort of thing', but I got it pulled off quietly and very safely and pulled into the middle of the park."

Brown said it wasn't a complicated exercise but it had to be done carefully.

Dinsdale resident and witness Nicole Harvey said the impact of the crash sounded like fireworks. Photo / Nicole Harvey

"It wasn't hard, it was just do what I say when I say it. We tied the drop line to [a vehicle's] bull bar and just pulled it back very gently to take the pressure of the pole, got it unhooked and that was fine."

Although the damage was limited to a few panels on the bottom of the balloon it was still pretty bad, he said.

"I have ordered the fabric already and it will be here in a week or so, probably.

"It looks worse than what it really is ... nah, it is pretty bad, but it's just a matter of getting new panels cut for it and sewing it back into place."

While thankful for the help and how his passengers stayed calm, he was disappointed in himself for getting it wrong.

"Yep, proud of them but I'm more annoyed at myself ... I knew if anything like that happened it was always going to go public."

He hoped to be back up in the air in about three weeks.