Narrative:

The problem arose because while we were inflating the balloon, the wind speed increased and changed direction. The winds changed during the 35 min inflation from our observations and from the forecast. I discovered the change as soon as we cleared the tree tops. We were headed into a more congested area than anticipated and closer to the airport. When I tried to land, I flew low (150 ft) for about 1/2 mi, just missing several good landing sites. Some people who don't know balloons must have called the fire company and police thinking I was in trouble. I was not. We landed, exchanged passenger and flew to a second landing. I attempted to call the airport on my hand-held but got no response. Perhaps it was weak batteries. I tried to talk to the police and firemen below but they weren't listening to channel 9 circuit breaker. Good batteries would have assured legal contact with newcastle county airport. Briefing the local police would have prevented confusion on the ground in an area they rarely see balloons.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT FLEW LOW WHEN HE FOUND THAT HE WAS GOING TOWARDS AN ARPT UNEXPECTEDLY.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE WHILE WE WERE INFLATING THE BALLOON, THE WIND SPD INCREASED AND CHANGED DIRECTION. THE WINDS CHANGED DURING THE 35 MIN INFLATION FROM OUR OBSERVATIONS AND FROM THE FORECAST. I DISCOVERED THE CHANGE AS SOON AS WE CLRED THE TREE TOPS. WE WERE HEADED INTO A MORE CONGESTED AREA THAN ANTICIPATED AND CLOSER TO THE ARPT. WHEN I TRIED TO LAND, I FLEW LOW (150 FT) FOR ABOUT 1/2 MI, JUST MISSING SEVERAL GOOD LNDG SITES. SOME PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW BALLOONS MUST HAVE CALLED THE FIRE COMPANY AND POLICE THINKING I WAS IN TROUBLE. I WAS NOT. WE LANDED, EXCHANGED PAX AND FLEW TO A SECOND LNDG. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE ARPT ON MY HAND-HELD BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. PERHAPS IT WAS WEAK BATTERIES. I TRIED TO TALK TO THE POLICE AND FIREMEN BELOW BUT THEY WEREN'T LISTENING TO CHANNEL 9 CB. GOOD BATTERIES WOULD HAVE ASSURED LEGAL CONTACT WITH NEWCASTLE COUNTY ARPT. BRIEFING THE LCL POLICE WOULD HAVE PREVENTED CONFUSION ON THE GND IN AN AREA THEY RARELY SEE BALLOONS.

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.