A hot air balloon pilot flew low when he found that he was going towards an airport unexpectedly.

Attributes
ACN	240825
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ilg
State Reference	DE
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 150
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1050 flight time type : 1050
ASRS Report	240825
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem arose because while we were inflating the balloon, the wind speed increased and changed direction. The winds changed during the 35 min inflation from our observations and from the forecast. I discovered the change as soon as we cleared the tree tops. We were headed into a more congested area than anticipated and closer to the airport. When I tried to land, I flew low (150 ft) for about 1/2 mi, just missing several good landing sites. Some people who don't know balloons must have called the fire company and police thinking I was in trouble. I was not. We landed, exchanged passenger and flew to a second landing. I attempted to call the airport on my hand-held but got no response. Perhaps it was weak batteries. I tried to talk to the police and firemen below but they weren't listening to channel 9 circuit breaker. Good batteries would have assured legal contact with newcastle county airport. Briefing the local police would have prevented confusion on the ground in an area they rarely see balloons.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT FLEW LOW WHEN HE FOUND THAT HE WAS GOING TOWARDS AN ARPT UNEXPECTEDLY.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE WHILE WE WERE INFLATING THE BALLOON, THE WIND SPD INCREASED AND CHANGED DIRECTION. THE WINDS CHANGED DURING THE 35 MIN INFLATION FROM OUR OBSERVATIONS AND FROM THE FORECAST. I DISCOVERED THE CHANGE AS SOON AS WE CLRED THE TREE TOPS. WE WERE HEADED INTO A MORE CONGESTED AREA THAN ANTICIPATED AND CLOSER TO THE ARPT. WHEN I TRIED TO LAND, I FLEW LOW (150 FT) FOR ABOUT 1/2 MI, JUST MISSING SEVERAL GOOD LNDG SITES. SOME PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW BALLOONS MUST HAVE CALLED THE FIRE COMPANY AND POLICE THINKING I WAS IN TROUBLE. I WAS NOT. WE LANDED, EXCHANGED PAX AND FLEW TO A SECOND LNDG. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE ARPT ON MY HAND-HELD BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. PERHAPS IT WAS WEAK BATTERIES. I TRIED TO TALK TO THE POLICE AND FIREMEN BELOW BUT THEY WEREN'T LISTENING TO CHANNEL 9 CB. GOOD BATTERIES WOULD HAVE ASSURED LEGAL CONTACT WITH NEWCASTLE COUNTY ARPT. BRIEFING THE LCL POLICE WOULD HAVE PREVENTED CONFUSION ON THE GND IN AN AREA THEY RARELY SEE BALLOONS.

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.