Narrative:

During flight it became necessary to fly below the minimum altitude of 500 ft for a short period of time. This low flight to approximately 300 ft AGL was used to take advantage of lower level winds that provided a left turn. This turn was unavailable at higher altitudes. The necessity of the left turn was to position the aircraft for a suitable landing area approximately 2 mi away. Earlier WX information prior to flight had not indicated that the flight path would be in the direction taken. This low flight was over a wooded area and did not represent a hazard to people or structures on the ground. It was, however, near an area that the organizer of the meet had specified a 500 ft minimum altitude. Although constant updated WX information was available before flight, conditions changed after the flight began. The suitable landing site selected allowed for a safe landing prior to WX conditions deteriorating further. The low flight allowed the balloon to be positioned for that site. Other sites were not available for another 5 or more mi. Soon after landing, high winds picked up on the surface. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was flying a head 88 balloon at the time of this incident. He has heard nothing from the FAA on this matter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HAD TO FLY LOW TO GET TO A PREFERRED LNDG SITE DURING A SPECIAL INTEREST BALLOON ACTIVITY.

Narrative: DURING FLT IT BECAME NECESSARY TO FLY BELOW THE MINIMUM ALT OF 500 FT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS LOW FLT TO APPROX 300 FT AGL WAS USED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOWER LEVEL WINDS THAT PROVIDED A L TURN. THIS TURN WAS UNAVAILABLE AT HIGHER ALTS. THE NECESSITY OF THE L TURN WAS TO POS THE ACFT FOR A SUITABLE LNDG AREA APPROX 2 MI AWAY. EARLIER WX INFO PRIOR TO FLT HAD NOT INDICATED THAT THE FLT PATH WOULD BE IN THE DIRECTION TAKEN. THIS LOW FLT WAS OVER A WOODED AREA AND DID NOT REPRESENT A HAZARD TO PEOPLE OR STRUCTURES ON THE GND. IT WAS, HOWEVER, NEAR AN AREA THAT THE ORGANIZER OF THE MEET HAD SPECIFIED A 500 FT MINIMUM ALT. ALTHOUGH CONSTANT UPDATED WX INFO WAS AVAILABLE BEFORE FLT, CONDITIONS CHANGED AFTER THE FLT BEGAN. THE SUITABLE LNDG SITE SELECTED ALLOWED FOR A SAFE LNDG PRIOR TO WX CONDITIONS DETERIORATING FURTHER. THE LOW FLT ALLOWED THE BALLOON TO BE POSITIONED FOR THAT SITE. OTHER SITES WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR ANOTHER 5 OR MORE MI. SOON AFTER LNDG, HIGH WINDS PICKED UP ON THE SURFACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A HEAD 88 BALLOON AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT. HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA ON THIS MATTER.

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.