A pilot and both passengers suffered serious burns when their hot-air balloon hit power lines in Hebron, Indiana, an accident that the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

The balloon struck the power lines at around 6:50 p.m. local time on Sunday, the FAA said in a statement.

Evidence suggested that electricity passed through into the basket, fire officials said, causing serious burn injuries to all aboard.

“There was electrical arcing and a high degree of energy that was transmitted through the power lines the balloon came in contact with. … The pilot was able to extinguish an onboard fire on the basket while maintaining control of the balloon, and landed in a field about 2 miles from where they struck the lines,” LVFD Chief Chris Gamblin told WLS-TV.

After hitting the lines, the balloon landed in a field south of state road 2 in Lowell, Indiana. The basket, with the three people inside, was still attached to the heat-inflated balloon, the Lowell Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post.

While the unnamed pilot was transported to the hospital via ground ambulance, the two passengers were airlifted from the scene, officials said.

Neither were named by officials, but the daughter of one of the injured identified her to WLS-TV as Teri Campbell, 53.

Ms. Campbell, who volunteered as a passenger on a routine training flight for purported operator Region Ballooning, was said to be conscious, talking and “definitely surprised,” her daughter Morgan told WLS-TV.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.