A hot air balloon pilot inadvertently flew into tul class C airspace.

Attributes
ACN	332862
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tul
State Reference	OK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 55 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	332862
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On apr/sat/96, I began a short balloon flight from 4 mi southeast of the tulsa international airspace 5 mi radius. The forecast was for light and variable winds. Before launch, pibals indicated a light wind from the north which would take the flight away from airspace. No aircraft radio was taken on the flight as, based on the forecast and pibals, it would not be necessary to contact the tower. Shortly after launch the wind direction began to change taking the balloon toward tul airspace. I immediately began looking for the first available safe landing spot. I entered airspace at approximately 150 degrees of the tower and landed approximately 1/3 mi within the 5 mi radius of tul airspace without contacting tower for approval to enter airspace. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was flying an aerostar S-49A aurora balloon. She has not heard from the FAA on this and did not call tul ATCT after landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO TUL CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON APR/SAT/96, I BEGAN A SHORT BALLOON FLT FROM 4 MI SE OF THE TULSA INTL AIRSPACE 5 MI RADIUS. THE FORECAST WAS FOR LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS. BEFORE LAUNCH, PIBALS INDICATED A LIGHT WIND FROM THE N WHICH WOULD TAKE THE FLT AWAY FROM AIRSPACE. NO ACFT RADIO WAS TAKEN ON THE FLT AS, BASED ON THE FORECAST AND PIBALS, IT WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY TO CONTACT THE TWR. SHORTLY AFTER LAUNCH THE WIND DIRECTION BEGAN TO CHANGE TAKING THE BALLOON TOWARD TUL AIRSPACE. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE FIRST AVAILABLE SAFE LNDG SPOT. I ENTERED AIRSPACE AT APPROX 150 DEGS OF THE TWR AND LANDED APPROX 1/3 MI WITHIN THE 5 MI RADIUS OF TUL AIRSPACE WITHOUT CONTACTING TWR FOR APPROVAL TO ENTER AIRSPACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING AN AEROSTAR S-49A AURORA BALLOON. SHE HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS AND DID NOT CALL TUL ATCT AFTER LNDG.

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.