Narrative:

Took off from bgm after another balloon had already launched. Briefing wind direction was not as reported. Anticipated flying more south. After flying 20 mins and watching first balloon at or about 2500' AGL determined to stay low around river. We caught up to first balloon but stopped short of clearing city of binghamton. At this time I decided to look for safe landing site downwind. Surface winds changed. For 45 mins we were flying southern direction then started to head north direction (deeper into the city). The speed of balloon was quite slow (2 KTS). Radioed to chase crew to assist in landing. At ground level saw 2 balloon pilots who I trained and felt confident to land. After giving details of what my intention would be, I threw my drop line. All went perfect. We landed on a rooftop of a 3 story house. After thoroughly going over what I wanted to do to bring the balloon off the roof we proceeded to deflate the balloon. Passenger were first removed unharmed. Dismantled tanks and other equipment to ease carrying basket off lower roof. I have been flying over 11 yrs all balloon time and trained many pilots. I stress 3 factors in considering a good flight: 1) did you hurt anyone (passenger of ground people)? 2) did you damage (any) property). 3) did you damage your balloon if you could answer no to all the above the flight was a success? To avoid this controled landing in an uncontrolled situation, more thought? Skip the flight or choose alternate takeoff point, might be the decision to make. The other balloon landed in city also.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BALLOON LANDS ON ROOFTOP IN CITY AS WIND SHIFT OCCURS AND HIS OPTIONS NARROW.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM BGM AFTER ANOTHER BALLOON HAD ALREADY LAUNCHED. BRIEFING WIND DIRECTION WAS NOT AS RPTED. ANTICIPATED FLYING MORE S. AFTER FLYING 20 MINS AND WATCHING FIRST BALLOON AT OR ABOUT 2500' AGL DETERMINED TO STAY LOW AROUND RIVER. WE CAUGHT UP TO FIRST BALLOON BUT STOPPED SHORT OF CLRING CITY OF BINGHAMTON. AT THIS TIME I DECIDED TO LOOK FOR SAFE LNDG SITE DOWNWIND. SURFACE WINDS CHANGED. FOR 45 MINS WE WERE FLYING SOUTHERN DIRECTION THEN STARTED TO HEAD N DIRECTION (DEEPER INTO THE CITY). THE SPD OF BALLOON WAS QUITE SLOW (2 KTS). RADIOED TO CHASE CREW TO ASSIST IN LNDG. AT GND LEVEL SAW 2 BALLOON PLTS WHO I TRAINED AND FELT CONFIDENT TO LAND. AFTER GIVING DETAILS OF WHAT MY INTENTION WOULD BE, I THREW MY DROP LINE. ALL WENT PERFECT. WE LANDED ON A ROOFTOP OF A 3 STORY HOUSE. AFTER THOROUGHLY GOING OVER WHAT I WANTED TO DO TO BRING THE BALLOON OFF THE ROOF WE PROCEEDED TO DEFLATE THE BALLOON. PAX WERE FIRST REMOVED UNHARMED. DISMANTLED TANKS AND OTHER EQUIP TO EASE CARRYING BASKET OFF LOWER ROOF. I HAVE BEEN FLYING OVER 11 YRS ALL BALLOON TIME AND TRAINED MANY PLTS. I STRESS 3 FACTORS IN CONSIDERING A GOOD FLT: 1) DID YOU HURT ANYONE (PAX OF GND PEOPLE)? 2) DID YOU DAMAGE (ANY) PROPERTY). 3) DID YOU DAMAGE YOUR BALLOON IF YOU COULD ANSWER NO TO ALL THE ABOVE THE FLT WAS A SUCCESS? TO AVOID THIS CTLED LNDG IN AN UNCTLED SITUATION, MORE THOUGHT? SKIP THE FLT OR CHOOSE ALTERNATE TKOF POINT, MIGHT BE THE DECISION TO MAKE. THE OTHER BALLOON LANDED IN CITY ALSO.

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.