Hot air balloon attempts to launch into a temporary restricted area.

Attributes
ACN	198133
Time
Date	199201
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cl14
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	198133
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We requested permission to launch from the parking lot of the rose bowl during a football game. Permission was denied. I asked if it was permissible to fly over if we launched elsewhere. The pasadena police officer said it would be no problem. We selected what we thought was a 'non dedicated' street and attempted to launch. The police arrived and ordered us to not launch. We complied. The officer advised us a police helicopter was prepared to 'force us out of the air' if we had launched. We were cited for 'unsafe operation of an aircraft' even though the aircraft was not ready to fly. This NASA report is being filed because of the bogus charge against me, plus the unwarranted threat to 'attack' us with a helicopter and 'drive us out of the air.' I attempted to explain what FARS applied, but they had no interest in anything except stopping my flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON ATTEMPTS TO LAUNCH INTO A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative: WE REQUESTED PERMISSION TO LAUNCH FROM THE PARKING LOT OF THE ROSE BOWL DURING A FOOTBALL GAME. PERMISSION WAS DENIED. I ASKED IF IT WAS PERMISSIBLE TO FLY OVER IF WE LAUNCHED ELSEWHERE. THE PASADENA POLICE OFFICER SAID IT WOULD BE NO PROBLEM. WE SELECTED WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A 'NON DEDICATED' STREET AND ATTEMPTED TO LAUNCH. THE POLICE ARRIVED AND ORDERED US TO NOT LAUNCH. WE COMPLIED. THE OFFICER ADVISED US A POLICE HELI WAS PREPARED TO 'FORCE US OUT OF THE AIR' IF WE HAD LAUNCHED. WE WERE CITED FOR 'UNSAFE OP OF AN ACFT' EVEN THOUGH THE ACFT WAS NOT READY TO FLY. THIS NASA RPT IS BEING FILED BECAUSE OF THE BOGUS CHARGE AGAINST ME, PLUS THE UNWARRANTED THREAT TO 'ATTACK' US WITH A HELI AND 'DRIVE US OUT OF THE AIR.' I ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN WHAT FARS APPLIED, BUT THEY HAD NO INTEREST IN ANYTHING EXCEPT STOPPING MY FLT.

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.