Narrative:

I was performing a commercial sight-seeing tour in a 12 passenger hot air balloon, approximately 6 mi northwest of the miramar NAS, in an established launch area. From this site, winds heading north to northeast are necessary to fly away from heavy congestion for a safe landing site. Upon takeoff (after determining my launch site by calling flight service who reported surface winds aloft heading to the north and northeast and observing these currents on the ground from test helium balloons), I immediately headed east, slightly southeast. If I continued in this direction, I would most certainly fly through miramar's air traffic area and the TCA in the area, and land in a congested area in a residential area downwind. This is when I decided it would be necessary to enter the TCA above the 1500 ft MSL base to search for a current heading to the north. There were also other balloons in the area who reported (on 2-WAY radio) that at 3000 ft there was a current heading north. I then decided to enter the TCA then, and head north as quickly as possible. We (balloons) do not normally carry xponders, so I knew I would be refused upon requesting permission, so I entered without requesting. There was no miramar jet activity and it was a high ceiling, so I saw no immediate danger. I believe the problem arose from the fact that I judged my launch site choice largely on the previous night's conditions, when stronger currents to the north were present. In this area, when the wind is strong (12-15 KTS) and is forecast to diminish rapidly near sunset, the direction can vary dramatically. I did not account for this, and should have launched from a more 'forgiving' area. Of course, carrying xponders and furthering balloon and ATC relations would help this type of problem as well. Once I got the north currents necessary, I landed in one of the normal sites with no further incident.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VERY LARGE HOT AIR BALLOON PENETRATES CLASS 'B' DUE TO UNCTLED WIND DRIFT.

Narrative: I WAS PERFORMING A COMMERCIAL SIGHT-SEEING TOUR IN A 12 PAX HOT AIR BALLOON, APPROX 6 MI NW OF THE MIRAMAR NAS, IN AN ESTABLISHED LAUNCH AREA. FROM THIS SITE, WINDS HDG N TO NE ARE NECESSARY TO FLY AWAY FROM HVY CONGESTION FOR A SAFE LNDG SITE. UPON TKOF (AFTER DETERMINING MY LAUNCH SITE BY CALLING FLT SVC WHO RPTED SURFACE WINDS ALOFT HDG TO THE N AND NE AND OBSERVING THESE CURRENTS ON THE GND FROM TEST HELIUM BALLOONS), I IMMEDIATELY HEADED E, SLIGHTLY SE. IF I CONTINUED IN THIS DIRECTION, I WOULD MOST CERTAINLY FLY THROUGH MIRAMAR'S ATA AND THE TCA IN THE AREA, AND LAND IN A CONGESTED AREA IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA DOWNWIND. THIS IS WHEN I DECIDED IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO ENTER THE TCA ABOVE THE 1500 FT MSL BASE TO SEARCH FOR A CURRENT HDG TO THE N. THERE WERE ALSO OTHER BALLOONS IN THE AREA WHO RPTED (ON 2-WAY RADIO) THAT AT 3000 FT THERE WAS A CURRENT HDG N. I THEN DECIDED TO ENTER THE TCA THEN, AND HEAD N AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WE (BALLOONS) DO NOT NORMALLY CARRY XPONDERS, SO I KNEW I WOULD BE REFUSED UPON REQUESTING PERMISSION, SO I ENTERED WITHOUT REQUESTING. THERE WAS NO MIRAMAR JET ACTIVITY AND IT WAS A HIGH CEILING, SO I SAW NO IMMEDIATE DANGER. I BELIEVE THE PROB AROSE FROM THE FACT THAT I JUDGED MY LAUNCH SITE CHOICE LARGELY ON THE PREVIOUS NIGHT'S CONDITIONS, WHEN STRONGER CURRENTS TO THE N WERE PRESENT. IN THIS AREA, WHEN THE WIND IS STRONG (12-15 KTS) AND IS FORECAST TO DIMINISH RAPIDLY NEAR SUNSET, THE DIRECTION CAN VARY DRAMATICALLY. I DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THIS, AND SHOULD HAVE LAUNCHED FROM A MORE 'FORGIVING' AREA. OF COURSE, CARRYING XPONDERS AND FURTHERING BALLOON AND ATC RELATIONS WOULD HELP THIS TYPE OF PROB AS WELL. ONCE I GOT THE N CURRENTS NECESSARY, I LANDED IN ONE OF THE NORMAL SITES WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.