A thermal threw a hot air balloon into a saguaro cactus bruising the passenger and pilot.

Attributes
ACN	235245
Time
Date	199303
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 740 flight time type : 740
ASRS Report	235245
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We sent up 2 pilots which indicated we would fly in northerly direction very slow, however, after inflation, balloon drifted easterly at 7-10 KTS. We had launched less than 2 hours before sunset to be sure we would not be affected by thermals, but even 1 hour before sunset had felt some thermal activity so approached a dirt road for landing in the area that was dense with cactus and other desert plants. About 50 ft from the ground, flying level, anticipating the road, we experienced a sudden downdraft thermal wind that pushed us to the ground and, before the balloon could recover, the basket contacted a large saguaro cactus, uprooting it and scratching and bruising passenger and pilot. Balloon then stabilized and we flew downwind and were able to land on a path without incident. This is the first time in 10 yrs I have witnessed thermal activity so close to sundown.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A THERMAL THREW A HOT AIR BALLOON INTO A SAGUARO CACTUS BRUISING THE PAX AND PLT.

Narrative: WE SENT UP 2 PLTS WHICH INDICATED WE WOULD FLY IN NORTHERLY DIRECTION VERY SLOW, HOWEVER, AFTER INFLATION, BALLOON DRIFTED EASTERLY AT 7-10 KTS. WE HAD LAUNCHED LESS THAN 2 HRS BEFORE SUNSET TO BE SURE WE WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THERMALS, BUT EVEN 1 HR BEFORE SUNSET HAD FELT SOME THERMAL ACTIVITY SO APCHED A DIRT ROAD FOR LNDG IN THE AREA THAT WAS DENSE WITH CACTUS AND OTHER DESERT PLANTS. ABOUT 50 FT FROM THE GND, FLYING LEVEL, ANTICIPATING THE ROAD, WE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN DOWNDRAFT THERMAL WIND THAT PUSHED US TO THE GND AND, BEFORE THE BALLOON COULD RECOVER, THE BASKET CONTACTED A LARGE SAGUARO CACTUS, UPROOTING IT AND SCRATCHING AND BRUISING PAX AND PLT. BALLOON THEN STABILIZED AND WE FLEW DOWNWIND AND WERE ABLE TO LAND ON A PATH WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YRS I HAVE WITNESSED THERMAL ACTIVITY SO CLOSE TO SUNDOWN.

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.