Drag landing with a large hot air 'ride' balloon.

Attributes
ACN	304620
Time
Date	199505
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abq
Operator	general aviation : corporate
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 16
ASRS Report	304620
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Launch was in less than 5 KTS. Winds increased to about 10 KTS at about montano and rio grande. I proceeded to a more open area in the rio rancho area. Knowing that winds increase beyond this area typically, I chose an open field beyond a factory to land. Approach was over factory. Approach was too steep beyond buildings and trees to open field. Ground was very uneven. We dragged across the rough terrain and had a rather bumpy landing. The 211000 cubic ft hot air balloon basket tipped over during the 10 KT drag landing. All passenger except 1 were fine as well as the balloon. 1 passenger said the landing aggravated her severe arthritis, but also stated she had a wonderful time. I feel a more gradual approach and having touchdown beyond the rough terrain could have made for a more gentle, smooth landing. In any event, with winds of 10 KTS, the basket would have tipped over no matter what the terrain was. The complaining passenger has not called with any further information as to her condition. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies a very large 'ride balloon' for a major operator in abq, a cameron ax- 10. She has not heard further from the passenger that complained about aggravating her arthritis, and has not heard from the FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DRAG LNDG WITH A LARGE HOT AIR 'RIDE' BALLOON.

Narrative: LAUNCH WAS IN LESS THAN 5 KTS. WINDS INCREASED TO ABOUT 10 KTS AT ABOUT MONTANO AND RIO GRANDE. I PROCEEDED TO A MORE OPEN AREA IN THE RIO RANCHO AREA. KNOWING THAT WINDS INCREASE BEYOND THIS AREA TYPICALLY, I CHOSE AN OPEN FIELD BEYOND A FACTORY TO LAND. APCH WAS OVER FACTORY. APCH WAS TOO STEEP BEYOND BUILDINGS AND TREES TO OPEN FIELD. GND WAS VERY UNEVEN. WE DRAGGED ACROSS THE ROUGH TERRAIN AND HAD A RATHER BUMPY LNDG. THE 211000 CUBIC FT HOT AIR BALLOON BASKET TIPPED OVER DURING THE 10 KT DRAG LNDG. ALL PAX EXCEPT 1 WERE FINE AS WELL AS THE BALLOON. 1 PAX SAID THE LNDG AGGRAVATED HER SEVERE ARTHRITIS, BUT ALSO STATED SHE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME. I FEEL A MORE GRADUAL APCH AND HAVING TOUCHDOWN BEYOND THE ROUGH TERRAIN COULD HAVE MADE FOR A MORE GENTLE, SMOOTH LNDG. IN ANY EVENT, WITH WINDS OF 10 KTS, THE BASKET WOULD HAVE TIPPED OVER NO MATTER WHAT THE TERRAIN WAS. THE COMPLAINING PAX HAS NOT CALLED WITH ANY FURTHER INFO AS TO HER CONDITION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES A VERY LARGE 'RIDE BALLOON' FOR A MAJOR OPERATOR IN ABQ, A CAMERON AX- 10. SHE HAS NOT HEARD FURTHER FROM THE PAX THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT AGGRAVATING HER ARTHRITIS, AND HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA.

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.