Narrative:

1. Climb out from airport was normal in a slow deliberate 'step climb.' direction of flight was to n-nw. Morning was warm, humid. Balloon was heavily loaded (3 adult men). Climb to 500 AGL for obstacle clearance and regulatory compliance was slower than normal because balloon temperature was up to 220 degree (yellow is 250 degrees, I try to avoid exceeding 230 degrees for longer fabric life). Other than need to climb slowly (similar to heavily loaded airplane taking off in high density altitude conditions), flight was absolutely normal. 2. After landing, I was informed by my chase crew that a local resident had chased them in her car and complained of our flying too low over her house. 3. After determining the area her house was located, it was apparent that I may have flown near, but not over her house. 4. If, at the point of nearest approach to her house, I was below 500 ft AGL, it was because the horizontal speed above the trees and my deliberate climb precluded my climbing faster without unnecessarily overheating the balloon. Recommendation: 1. Present balloon federation of america efforts to have MSA rules for balloons changed to rules more similar to those for helicopters should result in the desired changes. Present rules are unrealistic and lend unnecessary credibility to unreasonable 'low flying' reports. 2. FAA inspectors should give greater weight to pilot, not ground observer reports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE FLOWN LOW OVER A HOME AFTER TKOF FROM AN UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative: 1. CLBOUT FROM ARPT WAS NORMAL IN A SLOW DELIBERATE 'STEP CLB.' DIRECTION OF FLT WAS TO N-NW. MORNING WAS WARM, HUMID. BALLOON WAS HEAVILY LOADED (3 ADULT MEN). CLB TO 500 AGL FOR OBSTACLE CLRNC AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL BECAUSE BALLOON TEMP WAS UP TO 220 DEG (YELLOW IS 250 DEGS, I TRY TO AVOID EXCEEDING 230 DEGS FOR LONGER FABRIC LIFE). OTHER THAN NEED TO CLB SLOWLY (SIMILAR TO HEAVILY LOADED AIRPLANE TAKING OFF IN HIGH DENSITY ALT CONDITIONS), FLT WAS ABSOLUTELY NORMAL. 2. AFTER LNDG, I WAS INFORMED BY MY CHASE CREW THAT A LCL RESIDENT HAD CHASED THEM IN HER CAR AND COMPLAINED OF OUR FLYING TOO LOW OVER HER HOUSE. 3. AFTER DETERMINING THE AREA HER HOUSE WAS LOCATED, IT WAS APPARENT THAT I MAY HAVE FLOWN NEAR, BUT NOT OVER HER HOUSE. 4. IF, AT THE POINT OF NEAREST APCH TO HER HOUSE, I WAS BELOW 500 FT AGL, IT WAS BECAUSE THE HORIZ SPD ABOVE THE TREES AND MY DELIBERATE CLB PRECLUDED MY CLBING FASTER WITHOUT UNNECESSARILY OVERHEATING THE BALLOON. RECOMMENDATION: 1. PRESENT BALLOON FEDERATION OF AMERICA EFFORTS TO HAVE MSA RULES FOR BALLOONS CHANGED TO RULES MORE SIMILAR TO THOSE FOR HELIS SHOULD RESULT IN THE DESIRED CHANGES. PRESENT RULES ARE UNREALISTIC AND LEND UNNECESSARY CREDIBILITY TO UNREASONABLE 'LOW FLYING' RPTS. 2. FAA INSPECTORS SHOULD GIVE GREATER WT TO PLT, NOT GND OBSERVER RPTS.

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.