A hot air balloon pilot landed his aerostat in a congested residential area.

Attributes
ACN	338418
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 9a5
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11 flight time total : 169 flight time type : 11
ASRS Report	338418
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During balloon race task, flight was delayed by local FAA due to IFR conditions at lafayette airport. Note: very good visibility and high ceilings at balloon launch field. Flew long task (time wise). Wind not forecasted to become light and variable on surface, but did. Changing wind direction due to light and variable and no wind at times forced me to find an appropriate landing site in congested area by residential area. Made a controled drop line assisted landing with no damage to aircraft or property on the surface or injuries to anyone. Low fuel was not a primary concern, however, choice of landing spot was appropriate to insure fuel would not become a concern with no wind.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT LANDED HIS AEROSTAT IN A CONGESTED RESIDENTIAL AREA.

Narrative: DURING BALLOON RACE TASK, FLT WAS DELAYED BY LCL FAA DUE TO IFR CONDITIONS AT LAFAYETTE ARPT. NOTE: VERY GOOD VISIBILITY AND HIGH CEILINGS AT BALLOON LAUNCH FIELD. FLEW LONG TASK (TIME WISE). WIND NOT FORECASTED TO BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE ON SURFACE, BUT DID. CHANGING WIND DIRECTION DUE TO LIGHT AND VARIABLE AND NO WIND AT TIMES FORCED ME TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE LNDG SITE IN CONGESTED AREA BY RESIDENTIAL AREA. MADE A CTLED DROP LINE ASSISTED LNDG WITH NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR PROPERTY ON THE SURFACE OR INJURIES TO ANYONE. LOW FUEL WAS NOT A PRIMARY CONCERN, HOWEVER, CHOICE OF LNDG SPOT WAS APPROPRIATE TO INSURE FUEL WOULD NOT BECOME A CONCERN WITH NO WIND.

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.