A HOT AIR BALLOON SIGHTSEEING PLT LANDED IN A FRONT YARD.

Narrative

THE GND WIND WAS VERY GENTLE. WHAT SURPRISED ME WAS THE WIND AT 1500 FT WAS ALMOST STILL. I WAS OVER A RESIDENTIAL AREA WHEN THE FIRST 1/2 HR WAS UP. AT THAT SPD I WOULD STILL BE OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE 1 HR MARK. I DECIDED TO LAND AND LET OFF MY 4 PAX (ALL BIG) SCHEDULED FOR THE 1/2 HR ONLY. WITH ONLY 2 PEOPLE LEFT WITH ME IN THE BALLOON; I COULD EASILY CLB TO 3000 OR 4000 FT AND GET THE STRONGER FORECAST WINDS ALOFT (WOULD HAVE USED TOO MUCH FUEL CARRYING A FULL LOAD TO THOSE ALTS). AS THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO WIND; I MADE A GENTLE; SAFE LNDG IN A WOMAN'S FRONT YARD NEXT TO THE SIDEWALK. MY CHASE CREW WAS RIGHT THERE. WE MOVED THE INFLATED BALLOON TO THE EMPTY STREET; DISCHARGED THE 4 1/2 HR PAX AND I FLEW THE OTHER 2 HIGH ENOUGH FOR THE WIND TO CLR US FROM THAT AREA. THE ONLY THING WRONG WITH MY LNDG WAS THAT I WAS CLOSER THAN 200 FT FROM THE WOMAN'S HOUSE (FARS?) AND THE WOMAN WAS ANGRY; DEMANDED WE LEAVE THE PROPERTY (WE DID); AND CALLED THE POLICE. MY NEIGHBORHOOD LNDG WAS EASY. 200 FT IS NOT NEEDED FOR A BALLOON LNDG. IT WAS A SAFER OPTION THAN BURNING ALL MY FUEL WITH UNKNOWN RESULTS. I COULD CARRY FEWER PEOPLE TO START WITH; BUT THAT WOULD SEVERELY CUT MY INCOME. ALSO; YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THE WINDS WILL DO UNTIL YOU ARE UP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS MATTER. HE WAS CALLED BY THE LCL POLICE WHO WANTED TO HEAR HIS SIDE OF THE STORY AND PRESSED NO CHARGES. THE RPTR CALLED THE IRATE HOMEOWNER AND TRIED TO CALM HER DOWN; PROBABLY TO NO AVAIL. OTHER NEIGHBORS WERE ASKING THE RPTR TO LAND ON THEIR PROPERTY; BUT HE WAS UNABLE. THE RPTR HAS NEVER BEEN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE. HE DID FLY AWAY WITH HIS OTHER PAX. HE CLAIMS TO MAKING ABOUT 170 FLTS PER YR. ALMOST ALL FLIGHTSEEING. HE IS A FULL-TIME AERONAUT.