Hot air balloon pilot experiences wind shift on landing, drapes balloon envelope over a light pole.

Attributes
ACN	139510
Time
Date	199003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n87
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fat
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 290 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	139510
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Wind direction on landing for northwest. Final and T/D wind for northwest. Once on ground, wind changed from east, causing envelope of hot air balloon to drape over light pole during deflation. Several panels of material ripped on balloon. No damage to pole or other property. A better understanding of micro-wind conditions and behaviors might prevent recurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON PLT EXPERIENCES WIND SHIFT ON LNDG, DRAPES BALLOON ENVELOPE OVER A LIGHT POLE.

Narrative: WIND DIRECTION ON LNDG FOR NW. FINAL AND T/D WIND FOR NW. ONCE ON GND, WIND CHANGED FROM E, CAUSING ENVELOPE OF HOT AIR BALLOON TO DRAPE OVER LIGHT POLE DURING DEFLATION. SEVERAL PANELS OF MATERIAL RIPPED ON BALLOON. NO DAMAGE TO POLE OR OTHER PROPERTY. A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MICRO-WIND CONDITIONS AND BEHAVIORS MIGHT PREVENT RECURRENCE.

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.