A hot air balloon hit the roof of a house.

Attributes
ACN	319008
Time
Date	199510
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : btr
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 310 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	319008
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While maneuvering to a target for my baggy drop in an AX7 aerostar balloon, the vent line became tangled on the tank valves. The tangled line kept the vent open for almost 15 seconds, causing a steep descent into a populated area. When I noticed the vent line obstruction, I corrected it and began filling my balloon with heat to recover from the descent. I contacted the roof of a house, and landed in the backyard (basket) before the balloon could recover from the fall. No injuries occurred and no damage to the house or balloon were seen. After landing, I returned to the house and spoke to the owner to verify the situation. Since the flight, I moved the vent line to the other side of the basket, away from any objects that might snag the line.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON HIT THE ROOF OF A HOUSE.

Narrative: WHILE MANEUVERING TO A TARGET FOR MY BAGGY DROP IN AN AX7 AEROSTAR BALLOON, THE VENT LINE BECAME TANGLED ON THE TANK VALVES. THE TANGLED LINE KEPT THE VENT OPEN FOR ALMOST 15 SECONDS, CAUSING A STEEP DSCNT INTO A POPULATED AREA. WHEN I NOTICED THE VENT LINE OBSTRUCTION, I CORRECTED IT AND BEGAN FILLING MY BALLOON WITH HEAT TO RECOVER FROM THE DSCNT. I CONTACTED THE ROOF OF A HOUSE, AND LANDED IN THE BACKYARD (BASKET) BEFORE THE BALLOON COULD RECOVER FROM THE FALL. NO INJURIES OCCURRED AND NO DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE OR BALLOON WERE SEEN. AFTER LNDG, I RETURNED TO THE HOUSE AND SPOKE TO THE OWNER TO VERIFY THE SIT. SINCE THE FLT, I MOVED THE VENT LINE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BASKET, AWAY FROM ANY OBJECTS THAT MIGHT SNAG THE LINE.

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.