Narrative:

I was PIC of a hot air balloon which we launched from the intersection of manchester road and interstate 5 in san diego's 'north county.' the actual launch site begin approximately 0.5 mi east of I-5. I called san diego FSS for an in-depth WX report and forecast. FSS upper level winds were forecast as: 3000 ft -- 250 degrees at 6 KTS. 6000 ft light -- and variable. 9000 ft -- 120 degrees at 8 KTS. After calling FSS, I launched 2 large helium balloons to observe actual wind direction and speed. These balloons showed a very slow (less than 5 KTS -- closer to 2-3 KTS) wind from the north. I chose our northernmost launch field (the field furthest from nkx) with the intention of having a very slow moving flight from the north heading south and landing in our normal landing area outside the control zone approximately 7-9 mi north of nkx. I climbed to 4000 ft in search of the slower wind forecast by FSS and previously observed by myself via the helium balloons. The winds had increased in speed and, instead of taking the expected 30 mins to reach my normal approach corridor, I was there in 10 mins. We descended to about 500 ft AGL and found that our bearing was bringing us into an unlandable area due to its steep canyons and large power lines. I initiated an ascent to about 1500 ft back into the winds which would bring us due south to our southernmost landable areas. We progressed to the south toward 3-4 landable areas of the northwest edge of nkx's control zone. We were about 100 ft AGL and began to look for any safe place to land. We were also entering nkx's control zone. We maintained 100 ft AGL so as to stay well below the departure path and to allow us the opportunity to land in the first acceptable spot. This spot turned out to be a parking lot. My chase crew of 4 met me there and we landed the balloon without incident. A san diego police officer took my information no tickets issued. Mr. X of the FAA here in san diego, witnessed the landing and offered to make a statement as to the landing itself (ie, passenger were not endangered nor were civilians or structures).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT LANDED IN A PARKING LOT ATTRACTING THE ATTN OF THE LCL LAW AND A FSDO INSPECTOR.

Narrative: I WAS PIC OF A HOT AIR BALLOON WHICH WE LAUNCHED FROM THE INTXN OF MANCHESTER ROAD AND INTERSTATE 5 IN SAN DIEGO'S 'NORTH COUNTY.' THE ACTUAL LAUNCH SITE BEGIN APPROX 0.5 MI E OF I-5. I CALLED SAN DIEGO FSS FOR AN IN-DEPTH WX RPT AND FORECAST. FSS UPPER LEVEL WINDS WERE FORECAST AS: 3000 FT -- 250 DEGS AT 6 KTS. 6000 FT LIGHT -- AND VARIABLE. 9000 FT -- 120 DEGS AT 8 KTS. AFTER CALLING FSS, I LAUNCHED 2 LARGE HELIUM BALLOONS TO OBSERVE ACTUAL WIND DIRECTION AND SPD. THESE BALLOONS SHOWED A VERY SLOW (LESS THAN 5 KTS -- CLOSER TO 2-3 KTS) WIND FROM THE N. I CHOSE OUR NORTHERNMOST LAUNCH FIELD (THE FIELD FURTHEST FROM NKX) WITH THE INTENTION OF HAVING A VERY SLOW MOVING FLT FROM THE N HDG S AND LNDG IN OUR NORMAL LNDG AREA OUTSIDE THE CTL ZONE APPROX 7-9 MI N OF NKX. I CLBED TO 4000 FT IN SEARCH OF THE SLOWER WIND FORECAST BY FSS AND PREVIOUSLY OBSERVED BY MYSELF VIA THE HELIUM BALLOONS. THE WINDS HAD INCREASED IN SPD AND, INSTEAD OF TAKING THE EXPECTED 30 MINS TO REACH MY NORMAL APCH CORRIDOR, I WAS THERE IN 10 MINS. WE DSNDED TO ABOUT 500 FT AGL AND FOUND THAT OUR BEARING WAS BRINGING US INTO AN UNLANDABLE AREA DUE TO ITS STEEP CANYONS AND LARGE PWR LINES. I INITIATED AN ASCENT TO ABOUT 1500 FT BACK INTO THE WINDS WHICH WOULD BRING US DUE S TO OUR SOUTHERNMOST LANDABLE AREAS. WE PROGRESSED TO THE S TOWARD 3-4 LANDABLE AREAS OF THE NW EDGE OF NKX'S CTL ZONE. WE WERE ABOUT 100 FT AGL AND BEGAN TO LOOK FOR ANY SAFE PLACE TO LAND. WE WERE ALSO ENTERING NKX'S CTL ZONE. WE MAINTAINED 100 FT AGL SO AS TO STAY WELL BELOW THE DEP PATH AND TO ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO LAND IN THE FIRST ACCEPTABLE SPOT. THIS SPOT TURNED OUT TO BE A PARKING LOT. MY CHASE CREW OF 4 MET ME THERE AND WE LANDED THE BALLOON WITHOUT INCIDENT. A SAN DIEGO POLICE OFFICER TOOK MY INFO NO TICKETS ISSUED. MR. X OF THE FAA HERE IN SAN DIEGO, WITNESSED THE LNDG AND OFFERED TO MAKE A STATEMENT AS TO THE LNDG ITSELF (IE, PAX WERE NOT ENDANGERED NOR WERE CIVILIANS OR STRUCTURES).

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.