Hot air balloon dscnds close proximity of rooftops on approach landing. Observer distressed.

Attributes
ACN	203742
Time
Date	199202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iws
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 75
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 880 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	203742
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 75
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After a flight of about 1 hour, I was beginning to get into an area with fewer landing areas for balloons. The wind had increased somewhat, and I set up an approach to a clear field which had access road, no horses, and no power lines in my path. The field was between 2 housing developments, but there was plenty of room along my ground track to land. A balloon which was in front of me and 1 slightly north of mine descended and landed and stopped about halfway across the open area. In order not to hit him by landing short, I had to descend to rooftop level so that, upon clearing subdivision, I could land and stop short of him. Subdivision was one where a fatal balloon accident had happened 2 yrs ago, and a sensitive owner came over and was very upset. Although the aircraft was in control and no danger was present, perhaps a better choice would have been to fly on and look for another landing place.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON DSCNDS CLOSE PROX OF ROOFTOPS ON APCH LNDG. OBSERVER DISTRESSED.

Narrative: AFTER A FLT OF ABOUT 1 HR, I WAS BEGINNING TO GET INTO AN AREA WITH FEWER LNDG AREAS FOR BALLOONS. THE WIND HAD INCREASED SOMEWHAT, AND I SET UP AN APCH TO A CLR FIELD WHICH HAD ACCESS ROAD, NO HORSES, AND NO PWR LINES IN MY PATH. THE FIELD WAS BETWEEN 2 HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, BUT THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM ALONG MY GND TRACK TO LAND. A BALLOON WHICH WAS IN FRONT OF ME AND 1 SLIGHTLY N OF MINE DSNDED AND LANDED AND STOPPED ABOUT HALFWAY ACROSS THE OPEN AREA. IN ORDER NOT TO HIT HIM BY LNDG SHORT, I HAD TO DSND TO ROOFTOP LEVEL SO THAT, UPON CLRING SUBDIVISION, I COULD LAND AND STOP SHORT OF HIM. SUBDIVISION WAS ONE WHERE A FATAL BALLOON ACCIDENT HAD HAPPENED 2 YRS AGO, AND A SENSITIVE OWNER CAME OVER AND WAS VERY UPSET. ALTHOUGH THE ACFT WAS IN CTL AND NO DANGER WAS PRESENT, PERHAPS A BETTER CHOICE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO FLY ON AND LOOK FOR ANOTHER LNDG PLACE.

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.