The pilot of a balloon and his passenger experienced a 'high wind' landing near sedona, az.

Attributes
ACN	542814
Time
Date	200203
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sez.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 3048 flight time type : 29
ASRS Report	542814
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other ground encounters other other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Aircraft Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I launched at about XA55 from our launch site on lower loop road. I briefed my passenger on what to expect on landing and what to do -- face the direction of travel, hang on tight, bend knees and to stay in the basket until told to exit. I lifted off in very normal condition for us as usual and started floating west as normal at 1-2 mph winds. My altitude was 100 ft AGL for that time. After about 30 mins into the flight, the winds shifted to the north at about 5 mph. Have gone this direction many times over the yrs of flying in second. My direction north was lining me up with a small field about 1/8 mi away for landing still at 4-5 mph. At about 1-2 mins before landing, the winds went from 4-5 mph to 20.9 according to my GPS, and shifted direction slightly. Immediately I saw a small opening in the trees to land and did so. Landed in high winds. 1 passenger (a small girl 7 or 8 yrs old) upon landing, bumped her little finger on a fuel tank. Everyone else was fine. No damage to the aircraft. As a precaution, had the girl checked out at the local medical center where she was found to be alright, and 2-3 mins before landing I did brief all of my passenger on what to do upon landing, and that it was going to be fast and hard because of the high winds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PLT OF A BALLOON AND HIS PAX EXPERIENCED A 'HIGH WIND' LNDG NEAR SEDONA, AZ.

Narrative: I LAUNCHED AT ABOUT XA55 FROM OUR LAUNCH SITE ON LOWER LOOP ROAD. I BRIEFED MY PAX ON WHAT TO EXPECT ON LNDG AND WHAT TO DO -- FACE THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, HANG ON TIGHT, BEND KNEES AND TO STAY IN THE BASKET UNTIL TOLD TO EXIT. I LIFTED OFF IN VERY NORMAL CONDITION FOR US AS USUAL AND STARTED FLOATING W AS NORMAL AT 1-2 MPH WINDS. MY ALT WAS 100 FT AGL FOR THAT TIME. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINS INTO THE FLT, THE WINDS SHIFTED TO THE N AT ABOUT 5 MPH. HAVE GONE THIS DIRECTION MANY TIMES OVER THE YRS OF FLYING IN SECOND. MY DIRECTION N WAS LINING ME UP WITH A SMALL FIELD ABOUT 1/8 MI AWAY FOR LNDG STILL AT 4-5 MPH. AT ABOUT 1-2 MINS BEFORE LNDG, THE WINDS WENT FROM 4-5 MPH TO 20.9 ACCORDING TO MY GPS, AND SHIFTED DIRECTION SLIGHTLY. IMMEDIATELY I SAW A SMALL OPENING IN THE TREES TO LAND AND DID SO. LANDED IN HIGH WINDS. 1 PAX (A SMALL GIRL 7 OR 8 YRS OLD) UPON LNDG, BUMPED HER LITTLE FINGER ON A FUEL TANK. EVERYONE ELSE WAS FINE. NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. AS A PRECAUTION, HAD THE GIRL CHKED OUT AT THE LCL MEDICAL CTR WHERE SHE WAS FOUND TO BE ALRIGHT, AND 2-3 MINS BEFORE LNDG I DID BRIEF ALL OF MY PAX ON WHAT TO DO UPON LNDG, AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE FAST AND HARD BECAUSE OF THE HIGH WINDS.

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.