Narrative:

I am a full time commercial hot air balloon pilot and was making a routine passenger flight on the morning of aug/sun/96. I checked WX prior to takeoff and was told the WX at the clt airport was VFR. I took off about 12 mi southeast of the airport. Shortly after takeoff I realized the ceiling was only about 500 ft and visibility about 2 mi. I continued the flight at low altitudes, unable to call ATC because of the low altitude. I landed at the most suitable place I could find which was the median of highway 485, which at the time of morning, had very little traffic. I also could not find my pilot license when asked. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flew over the home of an FAA inspector. The inspector has never flown in a balloon and does not like balloons. The inspector chased the balloon to its landing and interviewed the reporter on the spot as well as called the local police. The police were not concerned with the landing in the highway median nor the flight through the top of some trees. All of the paperwork was in order except that the reporter did not have his pilot certificate on his person nor in his chase vehicle. The reporter has received a letter of investigation from the FSDO. The rprr regularly flies in the vicinity of clt and its class 'B' airspace using an aircraft radio.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT FOUND HIMSELF VFR IN IMC. HE DID NOT HAVE HIS PLT'S CERTIFICATE WITH HIM WHILE FLYING.

Narrative: I AM A FULL TIME COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON PLT AND WAS MAKING A ROUTINE PAX FLT ON THE MORNING OF AUG/SUN/96. I CHKED WX PRIOR TO TKOF AND WAS TOLD THE WX AT THE CLT ARPT WAS VFR. I TOOK OFF ABOUT 12 MI SE OF THE ARPT. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF I REALIZED THE CEILING WAS ONLY ABOUT 500 FT AND VISIBILITY ABOUT 2 MI. I CONTINUED THE FLT AT LOW ALTS, UNABLE TO CALL ATC BECAUSE OF THE LOW ALT. I LANDED AT THE MOST SUITABLE PLACE I COULD FIND WHICH WAS THE MEDIAN OF HWY 485, WHICH AT THE TIME OF MORNING, HAD VERY LITTLE TFC. I ALSO COULD NOT FIND MY PLT LICENSE WHEN ASKED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLEW OVER THE HOME OF AN FAA INSPECTOR. THE INSPECTOR HAS NEVER FLOWN IN A BALLOON AND DOES NOT LIKE BALLOONS. THE INSPECTOR CHASED THE BALLOON TO ITS LNDG AND INTERVIEWED THE RPTR ON THE SPOT AS WELL AS CALLED THE LCL POLICE. THE POLICE WERE NOT CONCERNED WITH THE LNDG IN THE HWY MEDIAN NOR THE FLT THROUGH THE TOP OF SOME TREES. ALL OF THE PAPERWORK WAS IN ORDER EXCEPT THAT THE RPTR DID NOT HAVE HIS PLT CERTIFICATE ON HIS PERSON NOR IN HIS CHASE VEHICLE. THE RPTR HAS RECEIVED A LETTER OF INVESTIGATION FROM THE FSDO. THE RPRR REGULARLY FLIES IN THE VICINITY OF CLT AND ITS CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE USING AN ACFT RADIO.

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.