A hot air balloon flew at night without lights.

Attributes
ACN	285013
Time
Date	199410
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 29j
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other 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 : 60 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	285013
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Flight started as a routine passenger -- carrying pleasure flight in the southeast clt area at about XA00 pm. Flight was to be 1 hour duration, however, no suitable landing sites were available and pilot was forced to continue flight after dark until landing about XC00 pm on I77 interstate just north of rock hill, sc. The balloon had no position lights because pilot expected to land before sunset. Problem was caused because drifted over a highly wooded area with no possible place to make a safe landing. This area will be avoided in all future flts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON FLEW AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTS.

Narrative: FLT STARTED AS A ROUTINE PAX -- CARRYING PLEASURE FLT IN THE SE CLT AREA AT ABOUT XA00 PM. FLT WAS TO BE 1 HR DURATION, HOWEVER, NO SUITABLE LNDG SITES WERE AVAILABLE AND PLT WAS FORCED TO CONTINUE FLT AFTER DARK UNTIL LNDG ABOUT XC00 PM ON I77 INTERSTATE JUST N OF ROCK HILL, SC. THE BALLOON HAD NO POS LIGHTS BECAUSE PLT EXPECTED TO LAND BEFORE SUNSET. PROB WAS CAUSED BECAUSE DRIFTED OVER A HIGHLY WOODED AREA WITH NO POSSIBLE PLACE TO MAKE A SAFE LNDG. THIS AREA WILL BE AVOIDED IN ALL FUTURE FLTS.

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.