Narrative:

In sum: the reporter launched his balloon with more than 2 hours daylight after checking the WX from several sources. All reports were indicating a south flow. The intent was to fly to the south of the city. After a period of south flight, the balloon reversed course. The reporter attempted a landing but was stymied by trees. The reporter was now traveling back towards the city. He got caught in thermals, causing the balloon to climb to as high as 1500 ft AGL and causing the reporter to abort landing approachs. The springfield fire department joined in the chase with 2 trucks. The reporter tried to get landing assistance by throwing out a drop line, but it fell into a 'nearby garbage can' and was useless. Finally the balloon landed safely with no injury or damage to balloon or property. The fire department asked for the reporter's n-number. The reporter was becoming concerned with his fuel level, but still had a good flame on landing. Neither he nor any of his ballooning companions have ever seen thermal conditions such as these. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is an attorney in springfield, mo. He flies an aerostar rally 7. He was surprised by the thermal activity as the temperature at takeoff was only 53 degrees F. He landed with about 3 gallons fuel left, much less than he would have liked, but his flame was still good. He 'was not down to the fumes yet.' he has heard nothing from the FAA nor from the fire department. He believes that they wanted his n-number for their activity report. He has heard of several other reports of the fire department chasing balloons in the city.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON ENCOUNTERED UNPREDICTED THERMALS.

Narrative: IN SUM: THE RPTR LAUNCHED HIS BALLOON WITH MORE THAN 2 HRS DAYLIGHT AFTER CHKING THE WX FROM SEVERAL SOURCES. ALL RPTS WERE INDICATING A S FLOW. THE INTENT WAS TO FLY TO THE S OF THE CITY. AFTER A PERIOD OF S FLT, THE BALLOON REVERSED COURSE. THE RPTR ATTEMPTED A LNDG BUT WAS STYMIED BY TREES. THE RPTR WAS NOW TRAVELING BACK TOWARDS THE CITY. HE GOT CAUGHT IN THERMALS, CAUSING THE BALLOON TO CLB TO AS HIGH AS 1500 FT AGL AND CAUSING THE RPTR TO ABORT LNDG APCHS. THE SPRINGFIELD FIRE DEPT JOINED IN THE CHASE WITH 2 TRUCKS. THE RPTR TRIED TO GET LNDG ASSISTANCE BY THROWING OUT A DROP LINE, BUT IT FELL INTO A 'NEARBY GARBAGE CAN' AND WAS USELESS. FINALLY THE BALLOON LANDED SAFELY WITH NO INJURY OR DAMAGE TO BALLOON OR PROPERTY. THE FIRE DEPT ASKED FOR THE RPTR'S N-NUMBER. THE RPTR WAS BECOMING CONCERNED WITH HIS FUEL LEVEL, BUT STILL HAD A GOOD FLAME ON LNDG. NEITHER HE NOR ANY OF HIS BALLOONING COMPANIONS HAVE EVER SEEN THERMAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS THESE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS AN ATTORNEY IN SPRINGFIELD, MO. HE FLIES AN AEROSTAR RALLY 7. HE WAS SURPRISED BY THE THERMAL ACTIVITY AS THE TEMP AT TKOF WAS ONLY 53 DEGS F. HE LANDED WITH ABOUT 3 GALLONS FUEL LEFT, MUCH LESS THAN HE WOULD HAVE LIKED, BUT HIS FLAME WAS STILL GOOD. HE 'WAS NOT DOWN TO THE FUMES YET.' HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA NOR FROM THE FIRE DEPT. HE BELIEVES THAT THEY WANTED HIS N-NUMBER FOR THEIR ACTIVITY RPT. HE HAS HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER RPTS OF THE FIRE DEPT CHASING BALLOONS IN THE CITY.

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.