A hot air balloon landed in valley forge national park.

Attributes
ACN	275213
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 940 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	275213
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departed (lift-off point) whitford rd and route 30 in exton, PA, at early am. After flying for an hour, crossed ridge line and the surface winds had picked up due to the flow over the ridge. I had attempted 2 prior lndgs and then crossed over the schuglrik river. I saw an open field with a service area and road. With fuel in one tank at 25 percent and the other at 40 percent, plus, I had lost radio contact with chase van, I decided to land in this area for safety. Instead of continuing flight into a more congested area were I would have been low on fuel. After landing my chase team informed me that I was in the national park. This had been my first flight into this area with the balloon and not familiar with the local landmarks around the national park.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON LANDED IN VALLEY FORGE NATIONAL PARK.

Narrative: DEPARTED (LIFT-OFF POINT) WHITFORD RD AND RTE 30 IN EXTON, PA, AT EARLY AM. AFTER FLYING FOR AN HR, CROSSED RIDGE LINE AND THE SURFACE WINDS HAD PICKED UP DUE TO THE FLOW OVER THE RIDGE. I HAD ATTEMPTED 2 PRIOR LNDGS AND THEN CROSSED OVER THE SCHUGLRIK RIVER. I SAW AN OPEN FIELD WITH A SVC AREA AND ROAD. WITH FUEL IN ONE TANK AT 25 PERCENT AND THE OTHER AT 40 PERCENT, PLUS, I HAD LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH CHASE VAN, I DECIDED TO LAND IN THIS AREA FOR SAFETY. INSTEAD OF CONTINUING FLT INTO A MORE CONGESTED AREA WERE I WOULD HAVE BEEN LOW ON FUEL. AFTER LNDG MY CHASE TEAM INFORMED ME THAT I WAS IN THE NATIONAL PARK. THIS HAD BEEN MY FIRST FLT INTO THIS AREA WITH THE BALLOON AND NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL LANDMARKS AROUND THE NATIONAL PARK.

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.