A hot air balloon pilot melted some of his lower fabric while airborne.

Attributes
ACN	338408
Time
Date	199606
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : chd
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1800 agl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	338408
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flying after sunrise, takeoff at XA25 am. I encountered a rotor (thermal) at 1800 ft AGL. It caused the upwind side of envelope to suck in while I was burning to stop my sudden descent. 6 panels of the envelope (a thunder and colt 160A with 400 hours on it) all panels were within the first and second row above the nomex throat. No additional problems, ie, lift, passenger, etc. We continued to fly until I found a safe landing (the first available) approximately 20 mins later. Total flight time was 39 mins. The temperature at the time was 84 degrees, envelope at 190 degrees, 6 passenger including 1 4-YR old, 1 5-YR old, 1 15-yr old, 3 adults plus myself as pilot. Overcast day. Should not have been any unstable air in area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT MELTED SOME OF HIS LOWER FABRIC WHILE AIRBORNE.

Narrative: FLYING AFTER SUNRISE, TKOF AT XA25 AM. I ENCOUNTERED A ROTOR (THERMAL) AT 1800 FT AGL. IT CAUSED THE UPWIND SIDE OF ENVELOPE TO SUCK IN WHILE I WAS BURNING TO STOP MY SUDDEN DSCNT. 6 PANELS OF THE ENVELOPE (A THUNDER AND COLT 160A WITH 400 HRS ON IT) ALL PANELS WERE WITHIN THE FIRST AND SECOND ROW ABOVE THE NOMEX THROAT. NO ADDITIONAL PROBS, IE, LIFT, PAX, ETC. WE CONTINUED TO FLY UNTIL I FOUND A SAFE LNDG (THE FIRST AVAILABLE) APPROX 20 MINS LATER. TOTAL FLT TIME WAS 39 MINS. THE TEMP AT THE TIME WAS 84 DEGS, ENVELOPE AT 190 DEGS, 6 PAX INCLUDING 1 4-YR OLD, 1 5-YR OLD, 1 15-YR OLD, 3 ADULTS PLUS MYSELF AS PLT. OVCST DAY. SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY UNSTABLE AIR IN AREA.

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.