A local policeman took exception to a hot air balloon landing in a city park.

Attributes
ACN	280614
Time
Date	199408
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : o45
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	280614
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On aug/xx/94 at XA15 am, I chose a city park as a safe landing site in the city of vacaville. The winds were going southwest at 200 ft to 3200 ft and northeast below 200 ft. For 45 mins of the flight, I cruised between 1500 ft and 3200 ft. Just below my balloon were hummer pwrlines. Finding no suitable wind to take us away from the lines, I went in search for the safest landing area. I chose a city park which laid about 600 ft from the lines. We landed safely watching for people safety (aboard and on ground). With the 30 mins remaining of fuel and deteriorating WX conditions, I believe the landing sight was safe and controled. Further to the south were residential house, outlined by pwrlines and highway 80 and travis AFB. A police officer came to the scene and took a report after we had landed. Not seeing the landing and being subjective, he felt that it was dangerous. Many onlookers enjoyed seeing the balloon and asked questions about flying while we packed up. All passenger felt safe at all times and were well briefed before and during landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LCL POLICEMAN TOOK EXCEPTION TO A HOT AIR BALLOON LNDG IN A CITY PARK.

Narrative: ON AUG/XX/94 AT XA15 AM, I CHOSE A CITY PARK AS A SAFE LNDG SITE IN THE CITY OF VACAVILLE. THE WINDS WERE GOING SW AT 200 FT TO 3200 FT AND NE BELOW 200 FT. FOR 45 MINS OF THE FLT, I CRUISED BTWN 1500 FT AND 3200 FT. JUST BELOW MY BALLOON WERE HUMMER PWRLINES. FINDING NO SUITABLE WIND TO TAKE US AWAY FROM THE LINES, I WENT IN SEARCH FOR THE SAFEST LNDG AREA. I CHOSE A CITY PARK WHICH LAID ABOUT 600 FT FROM THE LINES. WE LANDED SAFELY WATCHING FOR PEOPLE SAFETY (ABOARD AND ON GND). WITH THE 30 MINS REMAINING OF FUEL AND DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS, I BELIEVE THE LNDG SIGHT WAS SAFE AND CTLED. FURTHER TO THE S WERE RESIDENTIAL HOUSE, OUTLINED BY PWRLINES AND HWY 80 AND TRAVIS AFB. A POLICE OFFICER CAME TO THE SCENE AND TOOK A RPT AFTER WE HAD LANDED. NOT SEEING THE LNDG AND BEING SUBJECTIVE, HE FELT THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS. MANY ONLOOKERS ENJOYED SEEING THE BALLOON AND ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FLYING WHILE WE PACKED UP. ALL PAX FELT SAFE AT ALL TIMES AND WERE WELL BRIEFED BEFORE AND DURING LNDG.

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.