2 hot air balloons collided in-flight in ZDV class G airspace.

Attributes
ACN	516905
Time
Date	200106
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdv.artcc
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 7500
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 470 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	516905
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Balloon rally. Had 3 crew and pilot. I made a descent from about 800 ft AGL to go to about 300 ft AGL. Other balloon was on ground when I began descent. Other balloon apparently burned hard for steep ascent to my elevation. My crew and I saw other balloon when separation was less than 200 ft. I could not burn enough to turn my descent around and get out of other balloon's flight path. My basket impacted his balloon at center of top, went in +/-3-4 ft. At this time my burning turned us around -- his loss of heat around the parachute turned his ascent around and we separated. No damage was done to the other balloon envelope or my basket. Neither balloon had any other trouble with equipment on landing. A lower rate of ascent/descent on both balloons would have avoided the incident. There were no injuries or damages in either balloon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 HOT AIR BALLOONS COLLIDED INFLT IN ZDV CLASS G AIRSPACE.

Narrative: BALLOON RALLY. HAD 3 CREW AND PLT. I MADE A DSCNT FROM ABOUT 800 FT AGL TO GO TO ABOUT 300 FT AGL. OTHER BALLOON WAS ON GND WHEN I BEGAN DSCNT. OTHER BALLOON APPARENTLY BURNED HARD FOR STEEP ASCENT TO MY ELEVATION. MY CREW AND I SAW OTHER BALLOON WHEN SEPARATION WAS LESS THAN 200 FT. I COULD NOT BURN ENOUGH TO TURN MY DSCNT AROUND AND GET OUT OF OTHER BALLOON'S FLT PATH. MY BASKET IMPACTED HIS BALLOON AT CTR OF TOP, WENT IN +/-3-4 FT. AT THIS TIME MY BURNING TURNED US AROUND -- HIS LOSS OF HEAT AROUND THE PARACHUTE TURNED HIS ASCENT AROUND AND WE SEPARATED. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE OTHER BALLOON ENVELOPE OR MY BASKET. NEITHER BALLOON HAD ANY OTHER TROUBLE WITH EQUIP ON LNDG. A LOWER RATE OF ASCENT/DSCNT ON BOTH BALLOONS WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGES IN EITHER BALLOON.

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.