Pilot of balloon was unable to gain altitude and gondola hit a roof top, removing some roof tiles.

Attributes
ACN	124700
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ism
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 90 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	124700
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On 10/sun/89 morning, as I was flying across lake sheen at 1000', having first been blown off course by a sudden wind shift, I noticed that the wind was increasing appreciably and decided to land immediately. I descended to 500', as there was an open piece of land ahead of us. I experienced sudden and severe wind shear, which forced the balloon down to rooftop height. Even with excessive burning, I was unable to arrest the descent, and by the time the balloon started to react, we were flying toward a property on lost cove drive. The bottom of the gondola grazed the ridge tiles on the roof, removing 3 of them. Our chase crew immediately informed the homeowner that we would return as soon as we'd landed. We flew on for about 1/2 mi and landed safely in a vacant area behind the ymca. As soon as we had packed up the undamaged balloon, we returned to see the homeowner as promised to apologize and take details to arrange for the damage to be repaired at our personal expense.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF BALLOON WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ALT AND GONDOLA HIT A ROOF TOP, REMOVING SOME ROOF TILES.

Narrative: ON 10/SUN/89 MORNING, AS I WAS FLYING ACROSS LAKE SHEEN AT 1000', HAVING FIRST BEEN BLOWN OFF COURSE BY A SUDDEN WIND SHIFT, I NOTICED THAT THE WIND WAS INCREASING APPRECIABLY AND DECIDED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. I DSNDED TO 500', AS THERE WAS AN OPEN PIECE OF LAND AHEAD OF US. I EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND SEVERE WIND SHEAR, WHICH FORCED THE BALLOON DOWN TO ROOFTOP HEIGHT. EVEN WITH EXCESSIVE BURNING, I WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DSCNT, AND BY THE TIME THE BALLOON STARTED TO REACT, WE WERE FLYING TOWARD A PROPERTY ON LOST COVE DRIVE. THE BOTTOM OF THE GONDOLA GRAZED THE RIDGE TILES ON THE ROOF, REMOVING 3 OF THEM. OUR CHASE CREW IMMEDIATELY INFORMED THE HOMEOWNER THAT WE WOULD RETURN AS SOON AS WE'D LANDED. WE FLEW ON FOR ABOUT 1/2 MI AND LANDED SAFELY IN A VACANT AREA BEHIND THE YMCA. AS SOON AS WE HAD PACKED UP THE UNDAMAGED BALLOON, WE RETURNED TO SEE THE HOMEOWNER AS PROMISED TO APOLOGIZE AND TAKE DETAILS TO ARRANGE FOR THE DAMAGE TO BE REPAIRED AT OUR PERSONAL EXPENSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.