Narrative:

A hot air balloon flight (special shape balloon), began at approximately XX40 from a field in greensboro, nc, on may/thu/98. Upon launch I took the balloon to an altitude of 1000 ft AGL. VFR conditions prevailed, winds were 050 degrees and 3-5 KTS on the surface, forecast to be 010 degrees at 13 KTS at 3000 ft and 6000 ft. Surface wind forecast was variable at 3 KTS. After a flight of almost 1 hour I began to look for an appropriate landing spot. For a hot air balloon, that means a large enough area to land safely, remember a balloon has no wheels or brakes. The field must be clear of obstacles and have no power lines running across it. I saw such a field and began a controled descent in order to make a good landing. At an altitude of approximately 100 ft AGL I saw a power line running east to west near the tree line. I decided to abort the landing and leveled out the angle of descent to a level altitude approximately 50-70 ft above the trees. At that point I was anticipating another field just past this tree line. As I continued at this low altitude I discovered that there was no opening, only houses surrounded by trees. I then ascended to an altitude of approximately 800-1000 ft AGL. At that point I saw another open area appropriate for landing. I stayed at this altitude for 5-10 mins and then began to descend and make an approach to a field. I landed there at approximately ZZ10. Everything was fine. On may/tue/98, I was informed by an FAA employee of the winston-salem, nc, FSDO office that a complaint had been filed against me for flying too low by a resident of greensboro, nc. The complaint stated I was, 'in the trees crashing, flying recklessly.' I was simply trying to find an appropriate landing area, and to accomplish my landing in a safe manner. The resident probably does not know how a balloon maneuvers and lands and was frightened. The situation occurred due to light and variable winds. When winds are light this situation will occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON PLT ABORTS LNDG WHEN HE DISCOVERS ELECTRICAL PWR LINES AT ONE END OF HIS INTENDED LNDG FIELD. AFTER PICKING ANOTHER NEARBY FIELD HE PASSES OVER HOUSING WHILE ON APCH.

Narrative: A HOT AIR BALLOON FLT (SPECIAL SHAPE BALLOON), BEGAN AT APPROX XX40 FROM A FIELD IN GREENSBORO, NC, ON MAY/THU/98. UPON LAUNCH I TOOK THE BALLOON TO AN ALT OF 1000 FT AGL. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED, WINDS WERE 050 DEGS AND 3-5 KTS ON THE SURFACE, FORECAST TO BE 010 DEGS AT 13 KTS AT 3000 FT AND 6000 FT. SURFACE WIND FORECAST WAS VARIABLE AT 3 KTS. AFTER A FLT OF ALMOST 1 HR I BEGAN TO LOOK FOR AN APPROPRIATE LNDG SPOT. FOR A HOT AIR BALLOON, THAT MEANS A LARGE ENOUGH AREA TO LAND SAFELY, REMEMBER A BALLOON HAS NO WHEELS OR BRAKES. THE FIELD MUST BE CLR OF OBSTACLES AND HAVE NO PWR LINES RUNNING ACROSS IT. I SAW SUCH A FIELD AND BEGAN A CTLED DSCNT IN ORDER TO MAKE A GOOD LNDG. AT AN ALT OF APPROX 100 FT AGL I SAW A PWR LINE RUNNING E TO W NEAR THE TREE LINE. I DECIDED TO ABORT THE LNDG AND LEVELED OUT THE ANGLE OF DSCNT TO A LEVEL ALT APPROX 50-70 FT ABOVE THE TREES. AT THAT POINT I WAS ANTICIPATING ANOTHER FIELD JUST PAST THIS TREE LINE. AS I CONTINUED AT THIS LOW ALT I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS NO OPENING, ONLY HOUSES SURROUNDED BY TREES. I THEN ASCENDED TO AN ALT OF APPROX 800-1000 FT AGL. AT THAT POINT I SAW ANOTHER OPEN AREA APPROPRIATE FOR LNDG. I STAYED AT THIS ALT FOR 5-10 MINS AND THEN BEGAN TO DSND AND MAKE AN APCH TO A FIELD. I LANDED THERE AT APPROX ZZ10. EVERYTHING WAS FINE. ON MAY/TUE/98, I WAS INFORMED BY AN FAA EMPLOYEE OF THE WINSTON-SALEM, NC, FSDO OFFICE THAT A COMPLAINT HAD BEEN FILED AGAINST ME FOR FLYING TOO LOW BY A RESIDENT OF GREENSBORO, NC. THE COMPLAINT STATED I WAS, 'IN THE TREES CRASHING, FLYING RECKLESSLY.' I WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE LNDG AREA, AND TO ACCOMPLISH MY LNDG IN A SAFE MANNER. THE RESIDENT PROBABLY DOES NOT KNOW HOW A BALLOON MANEUVERS AND LANDS AND WAS FRIGHTENED. THE SIT OCCURRED DUE TO LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS. WHEN WINDS ARE LIGHT THIS SIT WILL OCCUR.

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.