Narrative:

After determining that safe flying conditions existed, I launched my balloon with 3 passenger aboard. After flying at altitude for about 20 mins, I noticed that the trees and flags indicated that the surface winds were increasing. I began a gradual descent on course to land in 1 of 2 adjacent ball fields. During the descent I changed course, eliminating the fields from consideration for landing. I approached a section of the city beyond which was another hill. I planned to fly over both hills in order to descend into the valley beyond using the hills as a windbreak. As I approached newton hill, I noticed a parking lot and adjacent grass area over the crest of the hill. I descended to tree top level and brushed the basket into the trees in order to slow the balloon for a possible landing. The trees slowed the balloon's momentum dramatically. It did, however, alter the direction of flight away from the intended landing area toward a city street. Approaching the street, I noticed that the police, who had been following us, had stopped the traffic providing us with a long clear section of the street on which to land. Aided by the windbreak provided by the hill, I quickly descended to a safe landing in the middle of the 4 lane street. The point of landing was in the center of the approximately 1500 ft long section of the street with park land on each side and no above ground utilities. Assisted by the police and my chase crew, we promptly moved the balloon to a grass area next to the street where we immediately deflated it and packed it up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LCL POLICE CLRED A RESIDENTIAL ROAD SO THAT A HOT AIR BALLOON COULD LAND SAFELY.

Narrative: AFTER DETERMINING THAT SAFE FLYING CONDITIONS EXISTED, I LAUNCHED MY BALLOON WITH 3 PAX ABOARD. AFTER FLYING AT ALT FOR ABOUT 20 MINS, I NOTICED THAT THE TREES AND FLAGS INDICATED THAT THE SURFACE WINDS WERE INCREASING. I BEGAN A GRADUAL DSCNT ON COURSE TO LAND IN 1 OF 2 ADJACENT BALL FIELDS. DURING THE DSCNT I CHANGED COURSE, ELIMINATING THE FIELDS FROM CONSIDERATION FOR LNDG. I APCHED A SECTION OF THE CITY BEYOND WHICH WAS ANOTHER HILL. I PLANNED TO FLY OVER BOTH HILLS IN ORDER TO DSND INTO THE VALLEY BEYOND USING THE HILLS AS A WINDBREAK. AS I APCHED NEWTON HILL, I NOTICED A PARKING LOT AND ADJACENT GRASS AREA OVER THE CREST OF THE HILL. I DSNDED TO TREE TOP LEVEL AND BRUSHED THE BASKET INTO THE TREES IN ORDER TO SLOW THE BALLOON FOR A POSSIBLE LNDG. THE TREES SLOWED THE BALLOON'S MOMENTUM DRAMATICALLY. IT DID, HOWEVER, ALTER THE DIRECTION OF FLT AWAY FROM THE INTENDED LNDG AREA TOWARD A CITY STREET. APCHING THE STREET, I NOTICED THAT THE POLICE, WHO HAD BEEN FOLLOWING US, HAD STOPPED THE TFC PROVIDING US WITH A LONG CLR SECTION OF THE STREET ON WHICH TO LAND. AIDED BY THE WINDBREAK PROVIDED BY THE HILL, I QUICKLY DSNDED TO A SAFE LNDG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 4 LANE STREET. THE POINT OF LNDG WAS IN THE CTR OF THE APPROX 1500 FT LONG SECTION OF THE STREET WITH PARK LAND ON EACH SIDE AND NO ABOVE GND UTILITIES. ASSISTED BY THE POLICE AND MY CHASE CREW, WE PROMPTLY MOVED THE BALLOON TO A GRASS AREA NEXT TO THE STREET WHERE WE IMMEDIATELY DEFLATED IT AND PACKED IT UP.

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.