A commercial hot air balloon flew through the top of a tree, then landed in a school yard.

Attributes
ACN	253732
Time
Date	199310
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lns
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 168 flight time type : 168
ASRS Report	253732
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In sum: a hot air balloon pilot got caught up in increasing upper winds, increasing surface winds, and decreasing available landing sites. After several intermediate lndgs, the pilot had to make a final landing in an area with increasing density of homes, rolling and wooded terrain, and a school. He flew low over a home, then through the top of a tree to slow down, then landed on a school playing field. He was met by his crew. The school welcomed him, but a homeowner over whose house he had flown was upset. The pilot used a drop line so that the crew could assist the landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON FLEW THROUGH THE TOP OF A TREE, THEN LANDED IN A SCHOOL YARD.

Narrative: IN SUM: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT GOT CAUGHT UP IN INCREASING UPPER WINDS, INCREASING SURFACE WINDS, AND DECREASING AVAILABLE LNDG SITES. AFTER SEVERAL INTERMEDIATE LNDGS, THE PLT HAD TO MAKE A FINAL LNDG IN AN AREA WITH INCREASING DENSITY OF HOMES, ROLLING AND WOODED TERRAIN, AND A SCHOOL. HE FLEW LOW OVER A HOME, THEN THROUGH THE TOP OF A TREE TO SLOW DOWN, THEN LANDED ON A SCHOOL PLAYING FIELD. HE WAS MET BY HIS CREW. THE SCHOOL WELCOMED HIM, BUT A HOMEOWNER OVER WHOSE HOUSE HE HAD FLOWN WAS UPSET. THE PLT USED A DROP LINE SO THAT THE CREW COULD ASSIST THE LNDG.

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.