Narrative:

Launched balloon from mwo at XA04 am. Approximately 35 mins into flight, passed over edge of ridge dropping over 250 ft into valley of elk creek. Descended into valley to take advantage of drainage wind which would provide a left turn (southerly). Drainage wind was providing a left turn of nearly 90 degrees and I saw a large field approximately 3/4 mi away which I decided to land in. Balloon was in 250-300 FPM descent as I had dropped into valley. Slowed descent to approximately 100 FPM and was lining up approach to field. At this point, I was approximately 250 ft AGL, on approach to land. I was passing over a house approximately 1/4 mi from my intended landing site when the landowner came outside and yelled at me to climb out of the area. Landowner pointed behind him and hidden behind the treeline was a pen of livestock. I initiated an immediate climb to clear the area. I was approximately 150-200 ft AGL at the time I initiated the climb. Once climb rate was established, I radioed a second balloon, which had been behind me, still above the valley, not to descend into the valley due to the livestock. Due to my flight path, my view of the livestock was at least partially obscured by the treeline until I was parallel with the pen. The only judgement or decision that I feel may be questioned was my altitude over property on the surface. I do not believe that I was in violation of any far, as I was on approach to land. I use a copy of a topographic map that indicates locations of livestock and other sensitive properties. This information is gathered and shared by local balloon pilots. This particular area was not indicated as being 'sensitive' to the best of my knowledge. I have marked it as such on my map, and have informed other local pilots of the location, so they will have the chance to avoid it. WX briefing obtained through duat, also through dayton FSS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT WAS ASKED TO FLY ON BY A LIVESTOCK OWNER. THE LIVESTOCK WAS HIDDEN IN TREES.

Narrative: LAUNCHED BALLOON FROM MWO AT XA04 AM. APPROX 35 MINS INTO FLT, PASSED OVER EDGE OF RIDGE DROPPING OVER 250 FT INTO VALLEY OF ELK CREEK. DSNDED INTO VALLEY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DRAINAGE WIND WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A L TURN (SOUTHERLY). DRAINAGE WIND WAS PROVIDING A L TURN OF NEARLY 90 DEGS AND I SAW A LARGE FIELD APPROX 3/4 MI AWAY WHICH I DECIDED TO LAND IN. BALLOON WAS IN 250-300 FPM DSCNT AS I HAD DROPPED INTO VALLEY. SLOWED DSCNT TO APPROX 100 FPM AND WAS LINING UP APCH TO FIELD. AT THIS POINT, I WAS APPROX 250 FT AGL, ON APCH TO LAND. I WAS PASSING OVER A HOUSE APPROX 1/4 MI FROM MY INTENDED LNDG SITE WHEN THE LANDOWNER CAME OUTSIDE AND YELLED AT ME TO CLB OUT OF THE AREA. LANDOWNER POINTED BEHIND HIM AND HIDDEN BEHIND THE TREELINE WAS A PEN OF LIVESTOCK. I INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO CLR THE AREA. I WAS APPROX 150-200 FT AGL AT THE TIME I INITIATED THE CLB. ONCE CLB RATE WAS ESTABLISHED, I RADIOED A SECOND BALLOON, WHICH HAD BEEN BEHIND ME, STILL ABOVE THE VALLEY, NOT TO DSND INTO THE VALLEY DUE TO THE LIVESTOCK. DUE TO MY FLT PATH, MY VIEW OF THE LIVESTOCK WAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY OBSCURED BY THE TREELINE UNTIL I WAS PARALLEL WITH THE PEN. THE ONLY JUDGEMENT OR DECISION THAT I FEEL MAY BE QUESTIONED WAS MY ALT OVER PROPERTY ON THE SURFACE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I WAS IN VIOLATION OF ANY FAR, AS I WAS ON APCH TO LAND. I USE A COPY OF A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP THAT INDICATES LOCATIONS OF LIVESTOCK AND OTHER SENSITIVE PROPERTIES. THIS INFO IS GATHERED AND SHARED BY LCL BALLOON PLTS. THIS PARTICULAR AREA WAS NOT INDICATED AS BEING 'SENSITIVE' TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE. I HAVE MARKED IT AS SUCH ON MY MAP, AND HAVE INFORMED OTHER LCL PLTS OF THE LOCATION, SO THEY WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO AVOID IT. WX BRIEFING OBTAINED THROUGH DUAT, ALSO THROUGH DAYTON FSS.

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.