Hot air balloon pilot and another hot air balloon collided in a race of 100 hot air balloons.

Attributes
ACN	595171
Time
Date	200309
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lou.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 25 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lou.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : lou.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 47.1 flight time total : 150.5 flight time type : 150.5
ASRS Report	595171
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was approximately #20 in a flight of 100 hot air balloons approaching the target in a large agricultural field. At approximately 25 ft AGL, another balloonist descended and bumped my envelope with his. I maintained my altitude and experienced a slight right turn away from the target. No damage was incurred. Since I was the lower balloonist, I had the right-of-way. I feel the other pilot's aggressive move to the lower altitude in crowded conditions caused the contact. After the contact, my balloon separated from the other balloon and I slowly climbed to 1000 ft AGL and continued the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON PLT AND ANOTHER HOT AIR BALLOON COLLIDED IN A RACE OF 100 HOT AIR BALLOONS.

Narrative: I WAS APPROX #20 IN A FLT OF 100 HOT AIR BALLOONS APCHING THE TARGET IN A LARGE AGRICULTURAL FIELD. AT APPROX 25 FT AGL, ANOTHER BALLOONIST DSNDED AND BUMPED MY ENVELOPE WITH HIS. I MAINTAINED MY ALT AND EXPERIENCED A SLIGHT R TURN AWAY FROM THE TARGET. NO DAMAGE WAS INCURRED. SINCE I WAS THE LOWER BALLOONIST, I HAD THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. I FEEL THE OTHER PLT'S AGGRESSIVE MOVE TO THE LOWER ALT IN CROWDED CONDITIONS CAUSED THE CONTACT. AFTER THE CONTACT, MY BALLOON SEPARATED FROM THE OTHER BALLOON AND I SLOWLY CLBED TO 1000 FT AGL AND CONTINUED THE FLT.

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.