A hot air balloon pilot burned the bottom panels of his aerostat on a hard landing.

Attributes
ACN	338733
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
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 : 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 : 185 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	338733
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a windy approach to landing, a high sink rate developed after a normal vent. Stopped sink rate and once again vented after a climb began. Balloon again developed a high sink rate for a normal vent. Landed in field of choice with a positive touchdown. Both burners were in use at touchdown resulting in a partial burning of the lower panels of the envelope. I suspect I was caught in a downdraft or perhaps overvented. The balloon response to the amount of heat I put in to stop both sink rates leads me to believe I was caught in a downdraft. Next time I believe I would go around and ensure the balloon was once again stabilized prior to beginning my approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT BURNED THE BOTTOM PANELS OF HIS AEROSTAT ON A HARD LNDG.

Narrative: DURING A WINDY APCH TO LNDG, A HIGH SINK RATE DEVELOPED AFTER A NORMAL VENT. STOPPED SINK RATE AND ONCE AGAIN VENTED AFTER A CLB BEGAN. BALLOON AGAIN DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE FOR A NORMAL VENT. LANDED IN FIELD OF CHOICE WITH A POSITIVE TOUCHDOWN. BOTH BURNERS WERE IN USE AT TOUCHDOWN RESULTING IN A PARTIAL BURNING OF THE LOWER PANELS OF THE ENVELOPE. I SUSPECT I WAS CAUGHT IN A DOWNDRAFT OR PERHAPS OVERVENTED. THE BALLOON RESPONSE TO THE AMOUNT OF HEAT I PUT IN TO STOP BOTH SINK RATES LEADS ME TO BELIEVE I WAS CAUGHT IN A DOWNDRAFT. NEXT TIME I BELIEVE I WOULD GAR AND ENSURE THE BALLOON WAS ONCE AGAIN STABILIZED PRIOR TO BEGINNING MY APCH.

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.