A hot air balloon flew low over horses.

Attributes
ACN	283047
Time
Date	199409
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : geg
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 4750 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	283047
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I approached an open field adjacent to a horse pasture for landing. As I approached the landing field, my flight path took me directly over the horses. I did not notice any movement from the animals. Closer to the ground, the wind shifted sending me towards a group of trees. I continued my descent believing I could possibly catch a wind which would take me to another opening. When I saw that this was not possible, I climbed up to 300-400 ft and continued approximately 1/2 mi to the next field. If I had climbed to 500 ft to be legal (uncongested area), I would have caught a different wind going north into a forest. I doubt if I would have had enough propane and daylight to get past them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON FLEW LOW OVER HORSES.

Narrative: I APCHED AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO A HORSE PASTURE FOR LNDG. AS I APCHED THE LNDG FIELD, MY FLT PATH TOOK ME DIRECTLY OVER THE HORSES. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY MOVEMENT FROM THE ANIMALS. CLOSER TO THE GND, THE WIND SHIFTED SENDING ME TOWARDS A GROUP OF TREES. I CONTINUED MY DSCNT BELIEVING I COULD POSSIBLY CATCH A WIND WHICH WOULD TAKE ME TO ANOTHER OPENING. WHEN I SAW THAT THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE, I CLBED UP TO 300-400 FT AND CONTINUED APPROX 1/2 MI TO THE NEXT FIELD. IF I HAD CLBED TO 500 FT TO BE LEGAL (UNCONGESTED AREA), I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT A DIFFERENT WIND GOING N INTO A FOREST. I DOUBT IF I WOULD HAVE HAD ENOUGH PROPANE AND DAYLIGHT TO GET PAST THEM.

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.