Narrative:

I was the pilot for a commercial scenic hot air balloon tour launching east of del mar. After carefully sending several test helium balloons to monitor wind direction and project a suitable landing site, I took off. Immediately all winds shifted direction 45 degrees to the south, which would take me to the del mar mesa preserve where a safe landing would be difficult because of the 10 ft high chaparral. After observing the pibals (test balloon) and seeing them turn to the northwest at higher altitude, I decided to climb to move back on course. After climbing to 4500 ft, I observed no change in direction. I descended and approached to land at the nearest available site. The wind was very strong at this point, so I decided to fly on to land behind a ridge in mira mesa, to land behind a 'wind shadow.' this unfortunately took me into miramar's class B airspace. Because of my speed, I did not have time to radio approach control. I was approximately 200 ft AGL and on approach. Once behind the ridge and lower, I slowed but changed course. My only option was a construction driveway next to a moderately busy street. I landed safely and was approached by san diego police whose only concern was if I intended to block traffic with deflation -- I did not. Looking back, I could have avoided the problem by landing immediately after takeoff and not relying on the northwest direction observed earlier, as these winds were strong, unstable and unpredictable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMERCIAL PLT OF A HOT AIR BALLOON DRIFTED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE DUE TO UNEXPECTED STRONG WINDS WITHOUT TIME FOR THE PLT TO NOTIFY APCH RADAR CTLR OF HIS PROB. THE BALLOON LANDED BEHIND A BLUFF ON A CONSTRUCTION DRIVEWAY WHICH BLOCKED THE WIND FOR LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS THE PLT FOR A COMMERCIAL SCENIC HOT AIR BALLOON TOUR LAUNCHING E OF DEL MAR. AFTER CAREFULLY SENDING SEVERAL TEST HELIUM BALLOONS TO MONITOR WIND DIRECTION AND PROJECT A SUITABLE LNDG SITE, I TOOK OFF. IMMEDIATELY ALL WINDS SHIFTED DIRECTION 45 DEGS TO THE S, WHICH WOULD TAKE ME TO THE DEL MAR MESA PRESERVE WHERE A SAFE LNDG WOULD BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE 10 FT HIGH CHAPARRAL. AFTER OBSERVING THE PIBALS (TEST BALLOON) AND SEEING THEM TURN TO THE NW AT HIGHER ALT, I DECIDED TO CLB TO MOVE BACK ON COURSE. AFTER CLBING TO 4500 FT, I OBSERVED NO CHANGE IN DIRECTION. I DSNDED AND APCHED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST AVAILABLE SITE. THE WIND WAS VERY STRONG AT THIS POINT, SO I DECIDED TO FLY ON TO LAND BEHIND A RIDGE IN MIRA MESA, TO LAND BEHIND A 'WIND SHADOW.' THIS UNFORTUNATELY TOOK ME INTO MIRAMAR'S CLASS B AIRSPACE. BECAUSE OF MY SPD, I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO RADIO APCH CTL. I WAS APPROX 200 FT AGL AND ON APCH. ONCE BEHIND THE RIDGE AND LOWER, I SLOWED BUT CHANGED COURSE. MY ONLY OPTION WAS A CONSTRUCTION DRIVEWAY NEXT TO A MODERATELY BUSY STREET. I LANDED SAFELY AND WAS APCHED BY SAN DIEGO POLICE WHOSE ONLY CONCERN WAS IF I INTENDED TO BLOCK TFC WITH DEFLATION -- I DID NOT. LOOKING BACK, I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE PROB BY LNDG IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF AND NOT RELYING ON THE NW DIRECTION OBSERVED EARLIER, AS THESE WINDS WERE STRONG, UNSTABLE AND UNPREDICTABLE.

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.