A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT WAS ISSUED A CITATION BY A SECURITY GUARD AT A VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL FOR LNDG WITHOUT PERMISSION. THE BALLOON WAS NEARLY BECALMED AND MAY HAVE HAD A PROPANE LEAK.

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HOT AIR BALLOON FLT. EMER LNDG WITHOUT LNDG PERMISSION. WX BRIEFING GAVE WIND AT 7 KTS OUT OF 140 DEGS. UPON LIFTOFF; NOTED WIND TO BE OUT OF 230 DEGS AT ONLY 1-2 KTS. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BECAME ALL BUT BECALMED OVER HIGH TENSION ELECTRICAL LINES FOR ABOUT 15 MINS; THEN SLOWLY DRIFTED OVER TREES TOWARD A VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL. AFTER A FLT TIME OF OVER 40 MINS (1/2 MI) I APCHED A SMALL ROAD IN FRONT OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL (ABOUT 200-300 FT IN FRONT OF THE HOSPITAL). MY CREWMAN IN THE CHASE TRUCK RADIOED THAT THE SECURITY GUARD COULD NEITHER GIVE; NOR WITHHOLD PERMISSION TO LAND; SINCE THIS WAS FEDERAL PROPERTY. THERE WERE 2 PROBLEMS WHICH LED TO THE DECISION TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG. THE FIRST WAS A TRIPLE RUN OF HIGH TENSION LINES LYING JUST BEYOND AND BEHIND THE VETERANS HOSPITAL; THERE WAS A VERY REAL DANGER OF BECOMING BECALMED OVER THEM. THE SECOND REASON WAS THAT I NOTICED WHAT I FELT WAS A MILD ODOR OF PROPANE; PERHAPS FROM A FUEL LINE SLOW LEAK; THUS PRESENTING A POTENTIAL ONBOARD FIRE DANGER. AFTER LNDG; I CLOSED ALL FUEL TANKS AND PURGED THE LINES OF PROPANE. THE SECURITY GUARD TOOK MY NAME AND NUMBER; AND TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO FILE A RPT.