Hot air balloon landed in a residential area.

Attributes
ACN	306289
Time
Date	199506
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 3s2
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
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 : 20 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	306289
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Began approach 1-2 mi from potential landing site to take advantage of low level wind drifting toward park at north edge of town. Winds became very slow and variable. Due to dense farm land and beyond with the likely possibility of damage to crops, I elected to land in open clearing in neighborhood. Winds on the surface were non-existent and we used 'dropline' to guide balloon to landing area. There were no injuries or damage to any property. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter is a full time amount aeronaut in the ride business. He has recently relocated to wilsonville, or. As is customary in the ballooning business, the reporter checked with another balloonist in the area, a competitor, to find out where the best places to fly were located. The competitor gave the reporter some very bad information. The reporter has heard nothing from the FAA, local law, or landowners regarding these incidents, he landed in an I-5 exit after almost 2 hours of flight when the passenger had only paid for a 1 hour ride. Fuel was beginning to be a problem, and the passenger got to see the reporter become very anxious.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON LANDED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.

Narrative: BEGAN APCH 1-2 MI FROM POTENTIAL LNDG SITE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOW LEVEL WIND DRIFTING TOWARD PARK AT N EDGE OF TOWN. WINDS BECAME VERY SLOW AND VARIABLE. DUE TO DENSE FARM LAND AND BEYOND WITH THE LIKELY POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE TO CROPS, I ELECTED TO LAND IN OPEN CLRING IN NEIGHBORHOOD. WINDS ON THE SURFACE WERE NON-EXISTENT AND WE USED 'DROPLINE' TO GUIDE BALLOON TO LNDG AREA. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO ANY PROPERTY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR IS A FULL TIME AMOUNT AERONAUT IN THE RIDE BUSINESS. HE HAS RECENTLY RELOCATED TO WILSONVILLE, OR. AS IS CUSTOMARY IN THE BALLOONING BUSINESS, THE RPTR CHKED WITH ANOTHER BALLOONIST IN THE AREA, A COMPETITOR, TO FIND OUT WHERE THE BEST PLACES TO FLY WERE LOCATED. THE COMPETITOR GAVE THE RPTR SOME VERY BAD INFO. THE RPTR HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA, LCL LAW, OR LANDOWNERS REGARDING THESE INCIDENTS, HE LANDED IN AN I-5 EXIT AFTER ALMOST 2 HRS OF FLT WHEN THE PAX HAD ONLY PAID FOR A 1 HR RIDE. FUEL WAS BEGINNING TO BE A PROB, AND THE PAX GOT TO SEE THE RPTR BECOME VERY ANXIOUS.

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.