Hot air balloon pilot had no surface wind, and landed in small trees before running out of fuel.

Attributes
ACN	592510
Time
Date	200308
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 180 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	592510
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel quantity other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

After being declined a landing area 1/2 way through our flight, we decided to continue on in search of a better landing field. The winds slowed to 1/2 mph on the surface. We were unable to make it into a suitable field. Therefore, we landed in small trees with approximately 22% fuel remaining in each (2) 8 gallon lpg tank. No damage to aircraft and no injuries to passenger or pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HAD NO SURFACE WIND, AND LANDED IN SMALL TREES BEFORE RUNNING OUT OF FUEL.

Narrative: AFTER BEING DECLINED A LNDG AREA 1/2 WAY THROUGH OUR FLT, WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LNDG FIELD. THE WINDS SLOWED TO 1/2 MPH ON THE SURFACE. WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE IT INTO A SUITABLE FIELD. THEREFORE, WE LANDED IN SMALL TREES WITH APPROX 22% FUEL REMAINING IN EACH (2) 8 GALLON LPG TANK. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT AND NO INJURIES TO PAX OR PLT.

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.