A hot air balloon pilot recovers control of his craft after an unexpected launch when two passenger ...

Attributes
ACN	526448
Time
Date	200109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hro.airport
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl single value : 150
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	526448
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Upon completion of a tether event to benefit charity; as the balloon was being prepared for deflation the tether ropes were disconnected from their tie down points and the system was prepared to deflate there were three passenger on board. The ground crew left the balloon to perform other tasks and two adult passenger exited the basket. These 2 factors created a loss of weight sufficient enough to cause the balloon to launch. Remaining in the gondola were the pilot and his 11 year old daughter. I immediately began venting hot air in attempt to land. Before the balloon could react to the landing procedure; it had drifted above a parking lot full of cars. I activated the burners and retained control of level flight. Aircraft position lights were not present. The aircraft flew over congested areas at approximately 150 ft AGL for approximately 1 mi until an obstruction free area suitable for landing became available on a city street. I landed the balloon without harm to any person or property. The balloon also received no damage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT RECOVERS CTL OF HIS CRAFT AFTER AN UNEXPECTED LAUNCH WHEN TWO PAX DEPLANE AFTER A NORMAL LNDG.

Narrative: UPON COMPLETION OF A TETHER EVENT TO BENEFIT CHARITY; AS THE BALLOON WAS BEING PREPARED FOR DEFLATION THE TETHER ROPES WERE DISCONNECTED FROM THEIR TIE DOWN POINTS AND THE SYS WAS PREPARED TO DEFLATE THERE WERE THREE PAX ON BOARD. THE GND CREW LEFT THE BALLOON TO PERFORM OTHER TASKS AND TWO ADULT PAX EXITED THE BASKET. THESE 2 FACTORS CREATED A LOSS OF WEIGHT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE BALLOON TO LAUNCH. REMAINING IN THE GONDOLA WERE THE PLT AND HIS 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN VENTING HOT AIR IN ATTEMPT TO LAND. BEFORE THE BALLOON COULD REACT TO THE LNDG PROC; IT HAD DRIFTED ABOVE A PARKING LOT FULL OF CARS. I ACTIVATED THE BURNERS AND RETAINED CTL OF LEVEL FLT. ACFT POSITION LIGHTS WERE NOT PRESENT. THE ACFT FLEW OVER CONGESTED AREAS AT APPROX 150 FT AGL FOR APPROX 1 MI UNTIL AN OBSTRUCTION FREE AREA SUITABLE FOR LNDG BECAME AVAILABLE ON A CITY STREET. I LANDED THE BALLOON WITHOUT HARM TO ANY PERSON OR PROPERTY. THE BALLOON ALSO RECEIVED NO DAMAGE.

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.

A hot air balloon pilot recovers control of his craft after an unexpected launch when two passenger deplane after a normal landing.