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A hot air balloon pilot hit another balloon that had already landed damaging the balloon on the ground slightly. The reporting balloon flew on to a safe landing with no reported injuries or further damage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 209718 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199205 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sdf |
| State Reference | KY |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 75 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : vok |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 180 flight time type : 180 |
| ASRS Report | 209718 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac conflict : ground critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Clear morning -- winds 8-10 KTS. Many balloons (9) flying in group. A small group of 3 balloons was landing in sequence. I was the third balloon in line. The first 2 balloons landed, and began to deflate. I noticed the second balloon was deflating slowly, and I immediately began to abort the landing. I heated the balloon with both burners. As I ascended out of the field. I contacted the deflating balloon above the equator creating a small tear. The second balloon continued to deflate uneventfully. I continued my flight and had an uneventful landing. No one was injured. Only a minor tear was sustained on 1 balloon. In hindsight, I believe I thought the second balloon would deflate faster. I aborted my landing to avoid what would have been damage for sure, and potentially injurious. I opted to risk possible damage for a safe, alternate landing site.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HIT ANOTHER BALLOON THAT HAD ALREADY LANDED DAMAGING THE BALLOON ON THE GND SLIGHTLY. THE RPTING BALLOON FLEW ON TO A SAFE LNDG WITH NO RPTED INJURIES OR FURTHER DAMAGE.
Narrative: CLR MORNING -- WINDS 8-10 KTS. MANY BALLOONS (9) FLYING IN GROUP. A SMALL GROUP OF 3 BALLOONS WAS LNDG IN SEQUENCE. I WAS THE THIRD BALLOON IN LINE. THE FIRST 2 BALLOONS LANDED, AND BEGAN TO DEFLATE. I NOTICED THE SECOND BALLOON WAS DEFLATING SLOWLY, AND I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO ABORT THE LNDG. I HEATED THE BALLOON WITH BOTH BURNERS. AS I ASCENDED OUT OF THE FIELD. I CONTACTED THE DEFLATING BALLOON ABOVE THE EQUATOR CREATING A SMALL TEAR. THE SECOND BALLOON CONTINUED TO DEFLATE UNEVENTFULLY. I CONTINUED MY FLT AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. NO ONE WAS INJURED. ONLY A MINOR TEAR WAS SUSTAINED ON 1 BALLOON. IN HINDSIGHT, I BELIEVE I THOUGHT THE SECOND BALLOON WOULD DEFLATE FASTER. I ABORTED MY LNDG TO AVOID WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGE FOR SURE, AND POTENTIALLY INJURIOUS. I OPTED TO RISK POSSIBLE DAMAGE FOR A SAFE, ALTERNATE LNDG SITE.
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.