Narrative:

Flight service briefing indicated winds variable at 7 KTS in vicinity of rockingham. Other reporting stations in the area also reported variable winds with speeds from 7-11 KTS. Forecast winds were variable 330-020 degrees at 8 KTS. On site observations showed actual winds estimated at 5 KTS variable, and decreasing in speed. My flight plan was to fly over the raceway at the start of the automobile race. Having permission to use the track property, I planned to launch north of the raceway, fly over, and land on track property just south of the facility. The flight was planned for no more than 10-15 mins in duration. I selected a launch site adjacent to the temporary runway. I carried an operating hand-held aircraft radio. I estimate winds at time of launch to be 360 degrees at approximately 3 KTS. I notified air traffic of my launch, and of my intention to fly over the raceway and to the south. I initiated an ascent to climb to 1000 ft AGL. Within the first mins of the flight, I noted the wind speed had increased. I now realized it would be difficult to climb to 1000 ft AGL, and then descend into my planned landing area south of the raceway. Prior to the launch, I instructed my recovery crew to drive to the south parking lot and to be prepared to assist in my landing. My crew was on the property, moving towards my intended landing area. Having reached an estimated altitude of 500 ft AGL, I started a descent to my planned landing area. My initial descent rate was too fast and I corrected it above the track. I crossed over the raceway at less than the required minimums, while on approach to my landing area. I leveled off above the trees behind the parking area, and prepared to land. My balloon experienced thermal activity, and began to climb at approximately 500 FPM. I aborted the landing, and flew further south to initiate another landing. The thermal took my balloon to an indicated 950 ft AGL, at which time it leveled off. I contacted air traffic on unicom and advised them I was clear of the raceway area, and that I would proceed south to a final landing. I flew the balloon approximately 1/2 mi further south to my final landing site without any further incident. Upon packing up the balloon, 2 representatives from the FAA office approached me in the landing area and questioned me regarding the flight. Over-venting after initial climb to 500 ft AGL after launch, and the associated decision to attempt to land in my planned landing area, contributed to my flying above the raceway at less than minimum altitudes. Contributing factor in the above decisions was the increase in wind speed after launch.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON, A CAMERON N77, FLEW LOW OVER A CROWD AT A RACEWAY. THE FAA WAS IN ATTENDANCE.

Narrative: FLT SVC BRIEFING INDICATED WINDS VARIABLE AT 7 KTS IN VICINITY OF ROCKINGHAM. OTHER RPTING STATIONS IN THE AREA ALSO RPTED VARIABLE WINDS WITH SPDS FROM 7-11 KTS. FORECAST WINDS WERE VARIABLE 330-020 DEGS AT 8 KTS. ON SITE OBSERVATIONS SHOWED ACTUAL WINDS ESTIMATED AT 5 KTS VARIABLE, AND DECREASING IN SPD. MY FLT PLAN WAS TO FLY OVER THE RACEWAY AT THE START OF THE AUTOMOBILE RACE. HAVING PERMISSION TO USE THE TRACK PROPERTY, I PLANNED TO LAUNCH N OF THE RACEWAY, FLY OVER, AND LAND ON TRACK PROPERTY JUST S OF THE FACILITY. THE FLT WAS PLANNED FOR NO MORE THAN 10-15 MINS IN DURATION. I SELECTED A LAUNCH SITE ADJACENT TO THE TEMPORARY RWY. I CARRIED AN OPERATING HAND-HELD ACFT RADIO. I ESTIMATE WINDS AT TIME OF LAUNCH TO BE 360 DEGS AT APPROX 3 KTS. I NOTIFIED AIR TFC OF MY LAUNCH, AND OF MY INTENTION TO FLY OVER THE RACEWAY AND TO THE S. I INITIATED AN ASCENT TO CLB TO 1000 FT AGL. WITHIN THE FIRST MINS OF THE FLT, I NOTED THE WIND SPD HAD INCREASED. I NOW REALIZED IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO CLB TO 1000 FT AGL, AND THEN DSND INTO MY PLANNED LNDG AREA S OF THE RACEWAY. PRIOR TO THE LAUNCH, I INSTRUCTED MY RECOVERY CREW TO DRIVE TO THE S PARKING LOT AND TO BE PREPARED TO ASSIST IN MY LNDG. MY CREW WAS ON THE PROPERTY, MOVING TOWARDS MY INTENDED LNDG AREA. HAVING REACHED AN ESTIMATED ALT OF 500 FT AGL, I STARTED A DSCNT TO MY PLANNED LNDG AREA. MY INITIAL DSCNT RATE WAS TOO FAST AND I CORRECTED IT ABOVE THE TRACK. I CROSSED OVER THE RACEWAY AT LESS THAN THE REQUIRED MINIMUMS, WHILE ON APCH TO MY LNDG AREA. I LEVELED OFF ABOVE THE TREES BEHIND THE PARKING AREA, AND PREPARED TO LAND. MY BALLOON EXPERIENCED THERMAL ACTIVITY, AND BEGAN TO CLB AT APPROX 500 FPM. I ABORTED THE LNDG, AND FLEW FURTHER S TO INITIATE ANOTHER LNDG. THE THERMAL TOOK MY BALLOON TO AN INDICATED 950 FT AGL, AT WHICH TIME IT LEVELED OFF. I CONTACTED AIR TFC ON UNICOM AND ADVISED THEM I WAS CLR OF THE RACEWAY AREA, AND THAT I WOULD PROCEED S TO A FINAL LNDG. I FLEW THE BALLOON APPROX 1/2 MI FURTHER S TO MY FINAL LNDG SITE WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. UPON PACKING UP THE BALLOON, 2 REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FAA OFFICE APCHED ME IN THE LNDG AREA AND QUESTIONED ME REGARDING THE FLT. OVER-VENTING AFTER INITIAL CLB TO 500 FT AGL AFTER LAUNCH, AND THE ASSOCIATED DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO LAND IN MY PLANNED LNDG AREA, CONTRIBUTED TO MY FLYING ABOVE THE RACEWAY AT LESS THAN MINIMUM ALTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE ABOVE DECISIONS WAS THE INCREASE IN WIND SPD AFTER LAUNCH.

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.