Flight below waiver altitude limits over spectators watching hot air balloon contest.

Attributes
ACN	129809
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : chd
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 15 agl bound upper : 15
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : chd
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 62 flight time total : 1350 flight time type : 62
ASRS Report	129809
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying in a ballooning competition the target was placed in a baseball stadium which was located in a depression. An FAA waiver had been issued for a minimum altitude of 75' over people, and structures approaching the target. Over the target, it was waived to surface. I made my approach over the balloon launch site below 75' and then flew over 1 truck and a group of people who were not in the stadium grand stands, but along the outside fence. I was level and or climbing until I reached the target area, where I was cleared to the surface. My fault was that my concentration was on the target, not my alton approach. This is not uncommon during a balloon racing event, because of the concentration on the target, 'to score and win.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT BELOW WAIVER ALT LIMITS OVER SPECTATORS WATCHING HOT AIR BALLOON CONTEST.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING IN A BALLOONING COMPETITION THE TARGET WAS PLACED IN A BASEBALL STADIUM WHICH WAS LOCATED IN A DEPRESSION. AN FAA WAIVER HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR A MINIMUM ALT OF 75' OVER PEOPLE, AND STRUCTURES APCHING THE TARGET. OVER THE TARGET, IT WAS WAIVED TO SURFACE. I MADE MY APCH OVER THE BALLOON LAUNCH SITE BELOW 75' AND THEN FLEW OVER 1 TRUCK AND A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT IN THE STADIUM GRAND STANDS, BUT ALONG THE OUTSIDE FENCE. I WAS LEVEL AND OR CLBING UNTIL I REACHED THE TARGET AREA, WHERE I WAS CLRED TO THE SURFACE. MY FAULT WAS THAT MY CONCENTRATION WAS ON THE TARGET, NOT MY ALTON APCH. THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON DURING A BALLOON RACING EVENT, BECAUSE OF THE CONCENTRATION ON THE TARGET, 'TO SCORE AND WIN.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.