Narrative:

The flight began with a high wind inflation. 2 students observed the inflation. We then launched climbing at a rate of 600 FPM, to an altitude of 1800 ft MSL. Upon reaching altitude, I began calling my ground crew on the radio only to find my radio not operating. I elected to remain at 1800 ft MSL to give the ground crew time to complete packing equipment. Once I saw the crew loaded and on the move, I began a controled descent to 1200 ft MSL to communicate verbally that I would be landing as soon as practicable, once crossing the river. Once that was conveyed to the ground crew, I began to ascend to 2000 ft MSL to complete the flight training. Once crossing the river we selected a landing area, asked permission from the land owner (from the air). She consented and we landed without incident. We remained inflated following the static landing so the ground crew would be able to locate us. This is a prime example that you should check your radios prior to inflation and launch of the balloon. While I had no problems, if I would have needed to communicate with my ground crew, I would not have been able to.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HAD COM RADIO FAILURE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIS GND CREW.

Narrative: THE FLT BEGAN WITH A HIGH WIND INFLATION. 2 STUDENTS OBSERVED THE INFLATION. WE THEN LAUNCHED CLBING AT A RATE OF 600 FPM, TO AN ALT OF 1800 FT MSL. UPON REACHING ALT, I BEGAN CALLING MY GND CREW ON THE RADIO ONLY TO FIND MY RADIO NOT OPERATING. I ELECTED TO REMAIN AT 1800 FT MSL TO GIVE THE GND CREW TIME TO COMPLETE PACKING EQUIP. ONCE I SAW THE CREW LOADED AND ON THE MOVE, I BEGAN A CTLED DSCNT TO 1200 FT MSL TO COMMUNICATE VERBALLY THAT I WOULD BE LNDG AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, ONCE XING THE RIVER. ONCE THAT WAS CONVEYED TO THE GND CREW, I BEGAN TO ASCEND TO 2000 FT MSL TO COMPLETE THE FLT TRAINING. ONCE XING THE RIVER WE SELECTED A LNDG AREA, ASKED PERMISSION FROM THE LAND OWNER (FROM THE AIR). SHE CONSENTED AND WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE REMAINED INFLATED FOLLOWING THE STATIC LNDG SO THE GND CREW WOULD BE ABLE TO LOCATE US. THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE THAT YOU SHOULD CHK YOUR RADIOS PRIOR TO INFLATION AND LAUNCH OF THE BALLOON. WHILE I HAD NO PROBS, IF I WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE WITH MY GND CREW, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO.

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.