Narrative:

On mar/xa/00, I obtained a WX briefing via duats on the computer and checked the local ASOS/AWOS from ZZZ based on winds aloft forecast at 3000 ft, 360 degrees at 20 KTS and the reported calm surface winds I planned for liftoff at our usual location, approximately 6 mi north of ZZZ. I planned to land at ZZZ. After greeting my 8 passenger at AM30, we proceeded to set up and inflate my cameron A180 AX10 balloon. With typical upper valley surface drainage winds I expected to encounter quick surface winds soon after takeoff. This is quite common in the northern narrow part of our valley. I know that as the valley widens to the south and surface winds are diminished for the first couple of hours after sunrise. At approximately AN10 we completed inflation, loaded passenger and planned for liftoff. At this time surface winds at our launch location were gusting approximately 1-2 KTS. I decided to do a 'weight on/weight off' takeoff. This type of takeoff is assisted by ground crew. The crew helps to hold the balloon to the ground with their 'weight on.' the balloon was tied off to our vehicle to prevent the balloon from a liftoff until the required heat was applied. When hot, the balloon rapidly lifts off with the intent to clear downwind obstacles. As the balloon began to rise I instructed the crew to release the balloon and I started to climb. The balloon then began a slight descent due to false lift, and then began to climb again. Knowing at this time I would not clear the trees, I began to vent in hope of landing. With the climb in force, venting had no effect. The balloon contacted the tree and proceeded to climb through the branches until the basket became lodged near the top of the tree. I began pushing to free the basket and kept heat in the balloon for fear deflation would cause the basket to topple out of the tree. I assessed the damage to the envelope. I then tossed the drop line to the crew below and instructed them to pull the balloon back. Although unable to pull the balloon back, the crew did dislodge the basket. At this time I assessed the damage to the balloon envelope and not having a place to land nearby I decided the safest thing would be to fly to ZZZ where landing space is optimal. The winds between 650 ft AGL and 1650 ft AGL provided the best steerage to ZZZ. After entering class D airspace, I notified the tower I had current ATIS information (winds calm). As I began my approach to ZZZ I knew the surface winds would allow me the best landing opportunities. I proceeded to let the balloon cool to descend into the winds below 200 ft AGL. Realizing I gained too much descent rate, I began to burn to slow the balloon. As I entered the faster moving winds below, I encountered a greater descent rate. Realizing I would clip the tops of the trees below, I prepared my passenger for contact. The basket entered the trees with the envelope scraping the branches. The balloon rebounded out of the trees and continued to fly. I radioed the tower that I would be landing at ZZZ. The tower responded with 'do you need assistance?' I responded 'no, but I will be coming in fast.' I continued my approach to landing, and landed without incident. No passenger were injured. In retrospect, my judgement of the winds at takeoff may have been a contributing factor. Not realizing the possible full extent of false lift. Having a handheld wind meter may have helped assess current local conditions better. With respect to the high rate of descent and tree contact on approach, I feel that LLWS (very common in our area) and my wanting to be lower quicker for landing induced my rapid descent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CAMERON BALLOON COMMERCIAL PLT ENCOUNTERS TREES ON HIS TKOF AND LNDG WITH PAX ON BOARD NEAR ZZZ, US.

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/00, I OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING VIA DUATS ON THE COMPUTER AND CHKED THE LCL ASOS/AWOS FROM ZZZ BASED ON WINDS ALOFT FORECAST AT 3000 FT, 360 DEGS AT 20 KTS AND THE RPTED CALM SURFACE WINDS I PLANNED FOR LIFTOFF AT OUR USUAL LOCATION, APPROX 6 MI N OF ZZZ. I PLANNED TO LAND AT ZZZ. AFTER GREETING MY 8 PAX AT AM30, WE PROCEEDED TO SET UP AND INFLATE MY CAMERON A180 AX10 BALLOON. WITH TYPICAL UPPER VALLEY SURFACE DRAINAGE WINDS I EXPECTED TO ENCOUNTER QUICK SURFACE WINDS SOON AFTER TKOF. THIS IS QUITE COMMON IN THE NORTHERN NARROW PART OF OUR VALLEY. I KNOW THAT AS THE VALLEY WIDENS TO THE S AND SURFACE WINDS ARE DIMINISHED FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF HRS AFTER SUNRISE. AT APPROX AN10 WE COMPLETED INFLATION, LOADED PAX AND PLANNED FOR LIFTOFF. AT THIS TIME SURFACE WINDS AT OUR LAUNCH LOCATION WERE GUSTING APPROX 1-2 KTS. I DECIDED TO DO A 'WT ON/WT OFF' TKOF. THIS TYPE OF TKOF IS ASSISTED BY GND CREW. THE CREW HELPS TO HOLD THE BALLOON TO THE GND WITH THEIR 'WT ON.' THE BALLOON WAS TIED OFF TO OUR VEHICLE TO PREVENT THE BALLOON FROM A LIFTOFF UNTIL THE REQUIRED HEAT WAS APPLIED. WHEN HOT, THE BALLOON RAPIDLY LIFTS OFF WITH THE INTENT TO CLR DOWNWIND OBSTACLES. AS THE BALLOON BEGAN TO RISE I INSTRUCTED THE CREW TO RELEASE THE BALLOON AND I STARTED TO CLB. THE BALLOON THEN BEGAN A SLIGHT DSCNT DUE TO FALSE LIFT, AND THEN BEGAN TO CLB AGAIN. KNOWING AT THIS TIME I WOULD NOT CLR THE TREES, I BEGAN TO VENT IN HOPE OF LNDG. WITH THE CLB IN FORCE, VENTING HAD NO EFFECT. THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE TREE AND PROCEEDED TO CLB THROUGH THE BRANCHES UNTIL THE BASKET BECAME LODGED NEAR THE TOP OF THE TREE. I BEGAN PUSHING TO FREE THE BASKET AND KEPT HEAT IN THE BALLOON FOR FEAR DEFLATION WOULD CAUSE THE BASKET TO TOPPLE OUT OF THE TREE. I ASSESSED THE DAMAGE TO THE ENVELOPE. I THEN TOSSED THE DROP LINE TO THE CREW BELOW AND INSTRUCTED THEM TO PULL THE BALLOON BACK. ALTHOUGH UNABLE TO PULL THE BALLOON BACK, THE CREW DID DISLODGE THE BASKET. AT THIS TIME I ASSESSED THE DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON ENVELOPE AND NOT HAVING A PLACE TO LAND NEARBY I DECIDED THE SAFEST THING WOULD BE TO FLY TO ZZZ WHERE LNDG SPACE IS OPTIMAL. THE WINDS BTWN 650 FT AGL AND 1650 FT AGL PROVIDED THE BEST STEERAGE TO ZZZ. AFTER ENTERING CLASS D AIRSPACE, I NOTIFIED THE TWR I HAD CURRENT ATIS INFO (WINDS CALM). AS I BEGAN MY APCH TO ZZZ I KNEW THE SURFACE WINDS WOULD ALLOW ME THE BEST LNDG OPPORTUNITIES. I PROCEEDED TO LET THE BALLOON COOL TO DSND INTO THE WINDS BELOW 200 FT AGL. REALIZING I GAINED TOO MUCH DSCNT RATE, I BEGAN TO BURN TO SLOW THE BALLOON. AS I ENTERED THE FASTER MOVING WINDS BELOW, I ENCOUNTERED A GREATER DSCNT RATE. REALIZING I WOULD CLIP THE TOPS OF THE TREES BELOW, I PREPARED MY PAX FOR CONTACT. THE BASKET ENTERED THE TREES WITH THE ENVELOPE SCRAPING THE BRANCHES. THE BALLOON REBOUNDED OUT OF THE TREES AND CONTINUED TO FLY. I RADIOED THE TWR THAT I WOULD BE LNDG AT ZZZ. THE TWR RESPONDED WITH 'DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE?' I RESPONDED 'NO, BUT I WILL BE COMING IN FAST.' I CONTINUED MY APCH TO LNDG, AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO PAX WERE INJURED. IN RETROSPECT, MY JUDGEMENT OF THE WINDS AT TKOF MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. NOT REALIZING THE POSSIBLE FULL EXTENT OF FALSE LIFT. HAVING A HANDHELD WIND METER MAY HAVE HELPED ASSESS CURRENT LCL CONDITIONS BETTER. WITH RESPECT TO THE HIGH RATE OF DSCNT AND TREE CONTACT ON APCH, I FEEL THAT LLWS (VERY COMMON IN OUR AREA) AND MY WANTING TO BE LOWER QUICKER FOR LNDG INDUCED MY RAPID DSCNT.

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.