Narrative:

I was flying a hot air balloon 10 mi east of mem underneath the class B. I had made an approach to land 200 yards north of a radio controled airfield and decided to abort the landing due to muddy field conditions. As I began to climb out, I noticed 2 aircraft in the pattern, but both pilots saw me and both aircraft landed. I passed the field, headed south and continued my climb. At about 400 ft of altitude, I looked back to see one of the aircraft had taken off and was trying to circle the balloon. He hit the balloon causing a 2 ft hole in the side. The model aircraft had a 4 or 5 ft wingspan and had a powerful engine. We could have been killed if struck. The fuel lines could have been severed causing a fire. The aircraft could have been flown inside the balloon and fallen on the burner which would surely cause a fire. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the model aircraft cut a hole just above the equator that cost $330 to repair, paid for by the modeler's insurance company. The reporter had to fly on for a mi to find a suitable landing site. He packed up as soon as possible and returned to the model airplane field to confront the modeler who was just leaving. The modeler gave a phony name initially. The reporter chased down the modeler, knowing the type of automatic and aircraft, through a model shop. The NTSB did not get involved. The local FSDO suggested that the reporter send a report to the ASRS. The reporter does not know if the FAA has taken any action against the modeler.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON WAS DAMAGED WHEN HIT BY A RADIO CTLED MODEL ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A HOT AIR BALLOON 10 MI E OF MEM UNDERNEATH THE CLASS B. I HAD MADE AN APCH TO LAND 200 YARDS N OF A RADIO CTLED AIRFIELD AND DECIDED TO ABORT THE LNDG DUE TO MUDDY FIELD CONDITIONS. AS I BEGAN TO CLB OUT, I NOTICED 2 ACFT IN THE PATTERN, BUT BOTH PLTS SAW ME AND BOTH ACFT LANDED. I PASSED THE FIELD, HEADED S AND CONTINUED MY CLB. AT ABOUT 400 FT OF ALT, I LOOKED BACK TO SEE ONE OF THE ACFT HAD TAKEN OFF AND WAS TRYING TO CIRCLE THE BALLOON. HE HIT THE BALLOON CAUSING A 2 FT HOLE IN THE SIDE. THE MODEL ACFT HAD A 4 OR 5 FT WINGSPAN AND HAD A POWERFUL ENG. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF STRUCK. THE FUEL LINES COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERED CAUSING A FIRE. THE ACFT COULD HAVE BEEN FLOWN INSIDE THE BALLOON AND FALLEN ON THE BURNER WHICH WOULD SURELY CAUSE A FIRE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE MODEL ACFT CUT A HOLE JUST ABOVE THE EQUATOR THAT COST $330 TO REPAIR, PAID FOR BY THE MODELER'S INSURANCE COMPANY. THE RPTR HAD TO FLY ON FOR A MI TO FIND A SUITABLE LNDG SITE. HE PACKED UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND RETURNED TO THE MODEL AIRPLANE FIELD TO CONFRONT THE MODELER WHO WAS JUST LEAVING. THE MODELER GAVE A PHONY NAME INITIALLY. THE RPTR CHASED DOWN THE MODELER, KNOWING THE TYPE OF AUTO AND ACFT, THROUGH A MODEL SHOP. THE NTSB DID NOT GET INVOLVED. THE LCL FSDO SUGGESTED THAT THE RPTR SEND A RPT TO THE ASRS. THE RPTR DOES NOT KNOW IF THE FAA HAS TAKEN ANY ACTION AGAINST THE MODELER.

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.