Hot air balloon encounters wind shear during landing approach.

Attributes
ACN	138293
Time
Date	199002
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 6tx7
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 250 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 25 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	138293
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Setting up for a landing 250' AGL I encountered a wind change of 180 degrees (highly unusual). As I drifted back along my ground track, west/O any additional heat my balloon started climbing. At 500' AGL my basket bounced and I looked up. My balloon was being collapsed. I added heat to keep my envelope full, but was being buffeted. I was trying to keep the envelope full, but just cool enough to descend to smoother air. The wind shear caved in the envelope, causing the air to be forced out, placing the balloon into a high rate of descent. Recovery was attempted with full burner. Altitude was not sufficient to gain full control of the aircraft, however descent was arrested to the point that a successful landing was executed in residential neighborhood. Envelope draped over tree. No injuries. No damage to property. I was glad to be safely down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON ENCOUNTERS WIND SHEAR DURING LNDG APCH.

Narrative: SETTING UP FOR A LNDG 250' AGL I ENCOUNTERED A WIND CHANGE OF 180 DEGS (HIGHLY UNUSUAL). AS I DRIFTED BACK ALONG MY GND TRACK, W/O ANY ADDITIONAL HEAT MY BALLOON STARTED CLBING. AT 500' AGL MY BASKET BOUNCED AND I LOOKED UP. MY BALLOON WAS BEING COLLAPSED. I ADDED HEAT TO KEEP MY ENVELOPE FULL, BUT WAS BEING BUFFETED. I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE ENVELOPE FULL, BUT JUST COOL ENOUGH TO DSND TO SMOOTHER AIR. THE WIND SHEAR CAVED IN THE ENVELOPE, CAUSING THE AIR TO BE FORCED OUT, PLACING THE BALLOON INTO A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT. RECOVERY WAS ATTEMPTED WITH FULL BURNER. ALT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO GAIN FULL CONTROL OF THE ACFT, HOWEVER DSCNT WAS ARRESTED TO THE POINT THAT A SUCCESSFUL LNDG WAS EXECUTED IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER TREE. NO INJURIES. NO DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. I WAS GLAD TO BE SAFELY DOWN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.