Pilot of hot air balloon drifted into ase air traffic area unable to communicate with tower.

Attributes
ACN	192106
Time
Date	199110
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ase
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 700
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ase
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 659 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	192106
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At about XA15 am, I launched from aspen and carried down valley. I had contact with my crew on the ground on my hand held aircraft radio. When approaching the tower I made numerous attempts to contact the tower but could not. I could occasionally hear them try to contact me. The final attempt I heard my call letters and they asked me to wave if I could hear. I did, but was unable to understand any further transmissions. I sent my hand held radios to my avionics shop and they replaced them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF HOT AIR BALLOON DRIFTED INTO ASE ATA UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH TWR.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA15 AM, I LAUNCHED FROM ASPEN AND CARRIED DOWN VALLEY. I HAD CONTACT WITH MY CREW ON THE GND ON MY HAND HELD ACFT RADIO. WHEN APCHING THE TWR I MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE TWR BUT COULD NOT. I COULD OCCASIONALLY HEAR THEM TRY TO CONTACT ME. THE FINAL ATTEMPT I HEARD MY CALL LETTERS AND THEY ASKED ME TO WAVE IF I COULD HEAR. I DID, BUT WAS UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND ANY FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS. I SENT MY HAND HELD RADIOS TO MY AVIONICS SHOP AND THEY REPLACED THEM.

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.