Two hot air balloons collided shortly after takeoff. There were no injuries or damage.

Attributes
ACN	262811
Time
Date	199401
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dvt
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 35 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	262811
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Hot air balloon X collided with hot air balloon Y. There were no injuries or damage. X hit Y approximately 2/3 to the 3/4 up the envelope. At impact, X's basket tipped as much as 45 degrees. There was a very real danger of someone falling out of the basket. After impact, Y fell approximately 150 ft before regaining control 50 ft above the ground. It also swung from side to side 15 to 20 degrees. I believe the collision was caused by X's pilot, a, failing to compensate for false lift (venturi effect). The ground winds were approximately 4 KTS at the lone mountain launch site 5 mi northeast of deer valley airport. As X accelerated to the speed of the wind, it lost the false lift and crashed into Y approximately 200 yards after liftoff. The pilot of Y, B, did a wonderful job. He vented at impact. If he had not taken evasive action, it is possible the envelope would have been ripped, causing the balloon to lose most of its hot air and fall 200 ft to the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWO HOT AIR BALLOONS COLLIDED SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE.

Narrative: HOT AIR BALLOON X COLLIDED WITH HOT AIR BALLOON Y. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE. X HIT Y APPROX 2/3 TO THE 3/4 UP THE ENVELOPE. AT IMPACT, X'S BASKET TIPPED AS MUCH AS 45 DEGS. THERE WAS A VERY REAL DANGER OF SOMEONE FALLING OUT OF THE BASKET. AFTER IMPACT, Y FELL APPROX 150 FT BEFORE REGAINING CTL 50 FT ABOVE THE GND. IT ALSO SWUNG FROM SIDE TO SIDE 15 TO 20 DEGS. I BELIEVE THE COLLISION WAS CAUSED BY X'S PLT, A, FAILING TO COMPENSATE FOR FALSE LIFT (VENTURI EFFECT). THE GND WINDS WERE APPROX 4 KTS AT THE LONE MOUNTAIN LAUNCH SITE 5 MI NE OF DEER VALLEY ARPT. AS X ACCELERATED TO THE SPD OF THE WIND, IT LOST THE FALSE LIFT AND CRASHED INTO Y APPROX 200 YARDS AFTER LIFTOFF. THE PLT OF Y, B, DID A WONDERFUL JOB. HE VENTED AT IMPACT. IF HE HAD NOT TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION, IT IS POSSIBLE THE ENVELOPE WOULD HAVE BEEN RIPPED, CAUSING THE BALLOON TO LOSE MOST OF ITS HOT AIR AND FALL 200 FT TO THE GND.

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.