Pilot of hot air balloon strikes another balloon during launch at an air show.

Attributes
ACN	714549
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gyr.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 197 flight time type : 172
ASRS Report	714549
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Departed. The wind from the east changed my flight path into the partially cold inflated balloon downwind. My basket and envelope on the ground contacted it. Cause: incorrect balloon spacing on downwind; no launch director; no balloonist courtesy. If cold inflation is a problem due to area constraints; then a rule of thumb should be establish to direct launches.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF HOT AIR BALLOON STRIKES ANOTHER BALLOON DURING LAUNCH AT AN AIR SHOW.

Narrative: DEPARTED. THE WIND FROM THE E CHANGED MY FLT PATH INTO THE PARTIALLY COLD INFLATED BALLOON DOWNWIND. MY BASKET AND ENVELOPE ON THE GND CONTACTED IT. CAUSE: INCORRECT BALLOON SPACING ON DOWNWIND; NO LAUNCH DIRECTOR; NO BALLOONIST COURTESY. IF COLD INFLATION IS A PROB DUE TO AREA CONSTRAINTS; THEN A RULE OF THUMB SHOULD BE ESTABLISH TO DIRECT LAUNCHES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.