Narrative:

While on a training flight in a hot air balloon (free balloon) flying at an altitude of 1500', I inadvertently entered restr airspace over a large forested area. I became aware of this error when I was informed of same by my chase crew who had been informed by a local hunter. Since I was over a large forested area, landing immediately wasn't a reasonable option. After locating the restr area on my washington sectional chart and determining the top of same I immediately started to climb to an altitude above it. Upon reaching an altitude of approximately 4100' I ran into an area of turbulence that was unsafe for th balloon and my limited pilot experience. At this point I descended to smooth air at an altitude of 3800' and flew across and out of the restr area. At this time I began a rapid descent and tried to land in a small strip of uncontrolled airspace between the restr area and the quantico air traffic area. I was unable to land in same due to high density development and power lines. Once it was obvious I could not land in this area I started to climb to an altitude of 3500' so I could cross over the quantico air traffic area and during the climb to clear the ceiling of same I passed through a small outer section of their airspace. The rest of the flight was uneventful and ended in a happy and safe landing. The free balloon flight instrument's responsibility is of vital importance to a student's future performance and safety as a pilot. Therefore I would like to see the FAA review and consider establishing a professional free balloon flight instrument rating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON ENTERS RESTRICTED AREA AND AN ATA.

Narrative: WHILE ON A TRNING FLT IN A HOT AIR BALLOON (FREE BALLOON) FLYING AT AN ALT OF 1500', I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED RESTR AIRSPACE OVER A LARGE FORESTED AREA. I BECAME AWARE OF THIS ERROR WHEN I WAS INFORMED OF SAME BY MY CHASE CREW WHO HAD BEEN INFORMED BY A LCL HUNTER. SINCE I WAS OVER A LARGE FORESTED AREA, LNDG IMMEDIATELY WASN'T A REASONABLE OPTION. AFTER LOCATING THE RESTR AREA ON MY WASHINGTON SECTIONAL CHART AND DETERMINING THE TOP OF SAME I IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO CLB TO AN ALT ABOVE IT. UPON REACHING AN ALT OF APPROX 4100' I RAN INTO AN AREA OF TURB THAT WAS UNSAFE FOR TH BALLOON AND MY LIMITED PLT EXPERIENCE. AT THIS POINT I DSNDED TO SMOOTH AIR AT AN ALT OF 3800' AND FLEW ACROSS AND OUT OF THE RESTR AREA. AT THIS TIME I BEGAN A RAPID DSCNT AND TRIED TO LAND IN A SMALL STRIP OF UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE BTWN THE RESTR AREA AND THE QUANTICO ATA. I WAS UNABLE TO LAND IN SAME DUE TO HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT AND PWR LINES. ONCE IT WAS OBVIOUS I COULD NOT LAND IN THIS AREA I STARTED TO CLB TO AN ALT OF 3500' SO I COULD CROSS OVER THE QUANTICO ATA AND DURING THE CLB TO CLEAR THE CEILING OF SAME I PASSED THROUGH A SMALL OUTER SECTION OF THEIR AIRSPACE. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND ENDED IN A HAPPY AND SAFE LNDG. THE FREE BALLOON FLT INSTR'S RESPONSIBILITY IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO A STUDENT'S FUTURE PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY AS A PLT. THEREFORE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FAA REVIEW AND CONSIDER ESTABLISHING A PROFESSIONAL FREE BALLOON FLT INSTR RATING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.