Narrative:

In executing a standard commercial passenger flight in a hot air balloon, I took off with several other balloons just east of del mar on an approved launch site. The wind was very light and variable, and shifted several times before launch, in all likelihood due to the cold front forecast to reach san diego later that evening. Though the final direction before takeoff was toward only a few possible landing sites, we launched with the intent of a short flight. While airborne, the wind continued to shift, but remained calm. Suddenly a new current developed that was quite strong. Thinking that this current would not shift due to its strength, I naved over a residential area to compensate. When I descended to use the new current, it had shifted and decreased speed, taking me towards interstate 5 with few landing options beyond. I decided to land on a residential street as soon as possible. I passed 2 streets below 75 ft AGL, until my crew intercepted me for a landing assist. We towed the balloon a short distance to deflate. Looking back, the launch site selection was the most important contributing factor. Had we launched from a more remote area, away from congestion, the flight would have been unusual due to the wind shifts, but it would have been uneventful. I also should have expected the strong current to shift, even though it appeared stable. Remaining over landable areas would have been a better choice as flight plan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE OPERATOR LANDED ON A CITY STREET AFTER A PERIOD OF LOW ALT CIVIL OP.

Narrative: IN EXECUTING A STANDARD COMMERCIAL PAX FLT IN A HOT AIR BALLOON, I TOOK OFF WITH SEVERAL OTHER BALLOONS JUST E OF DEL MAR ON AN APPROVED LAUNCH SITE. THE WIND WAS VERY LIGHT AND VARIABLE, AND SHIFTED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE LAUNCH, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD DUE TO THE COLD FRONT FORECAST TO REACH SAN DIEGO LATER THAT EVENING. THOUGH THE FINAL DIRECTION BEFORE TKOF WAS TOWARD ONLY A FEW POSSIBLE LNDG SITES, WE LAUNCHED WITH THE INTENT OF A SHORT FLT. WHILE AIRBORNE, THE WIND CONTINUED TO SHIFT, BUT REMAINED CALM. SUDDENLY A NEW CURRENT DEVELOPED THAT WAS QUITE STRONG. THINKING THAT THIS CURRENT WOULD NOT SHIFT DUE TO ITS STRENGTH, I NAVED OVER A RESIDENTIAL AREA TO COMPENSATE. WHEN I DSNDED TO USE THE NEW CURRENT, IT HAD SHIFTED AND DECREASED SPD, TAKING ME TOWARDS INTERSTATE 5 WITH FEW LNDG OPTIONS BEYOND. I DECIDED TO LAND ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET ASAP. I PASSED 2 STREETS BELOW 75 FT AGL, UNTIL MY CREW INTERCEPTED ME FOR A LNDG ASSIST. WE TOWED THE BALLOON A SHORT DISTANCE TO DEFLATE. LOOKING BACK, THE LAUNCH SITE SELECTION WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. HAD WE LAUNCHED FROM A MORE REMOTE AREA, AWAY FROM CONGESTION, THE FLT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNUSUAL DUE TO THE WIND SHIFTS, BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNEVENTFUL. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE STRONG CURRENT TO SHIFT, EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARED STABLE. REMAINING OVER LANDABLE AREAS WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER CHOICE AS FLT PLAN.

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.