Hot air balloon pilot encounters a downdraft which allows temporary contact by the balloon with a house, while on its approach path to the landing area, 15 mi north of tpa, fl.

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Attributes
ACN	560267
Time
Date	200209
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 15
Environment
Weather Elements	Windshear
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 36 flight time type : 36
ASRS Report	560267
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other other anomaly other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : executed missed approach
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was the PIC of a hot air balloon (cameron V77). I was on landing approach flying nnw in light and variable wind conditions. While descending, I encountered an unforecast and unforeseen downdraft that pushed my balloon abruptly down and to the west. I immediately took evasive action by turning on both burners but could not arrest the rate of descent before making contact with the peak of a house. The basket brushed against the soffit above the garage at which time the balloon immediately ascended again. Damage to the house was minimal and damage to the balloon was non existent. I continued on to complete the landing approximately 1/4 of a mi from the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON PLT ENCOUNTERS A DOWNDRAFT WHICH ALLOWS TEMPORARY CONTACT BY THE BALLOON WITH A HOUSE, WHILE ON ITS APCH PATH TO THE LNDG AREA, 15 MI N OF TPA, FL.

Narrative: I WAS THE PIC OF A HOT AIR BALLOON (CAMERON V77). I WAS ON LNDG APCH FLYING NNW IN LIGHT AND VARIABLE WIND CONDITIONS. WHILE DSNDING, I ENCOUNTERED AN UNFORECAST AND UNFORESEEN DOWNDRAFT THAT PUSHED MY BALLOON ABRUPTLY DOWN AND TO THE W. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING ON BOTH BURNERS BUT COULD NOT ARREST THE RATE OF DSCNT BEFORE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE PEAK OF A HOUSE. THE BASKET BRUSHED AGAINST THE SOFFIT ABOVE THE GARAGE AT WHICH TIME THE BALLOON IMMEDIATELY ASCENDED AGAIN. DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE WAS MINIMAL AND DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON WAS NON EXISTENT. I CONTINUED ON TO COMPLETE THE LNDG APPROX 1/4 OF A MI FROM THE INCIDENT.

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.