A hot air balloon pilot flew low over a city to avoid the nearby ocean.
Synopsis
A hot air balloon pilot flew low over a city to avoid the nearby ocean.
Narrative
Rewritten in plain English from NASA’s original all-caps telegraphic report — facts, figures, and terminology preserved.
I chose the wrong takeoff location for the hot air balloon. Even though winds were checked with FSS and small helium indicator balloon was used; surface winds; winds aloft and local area forecast did not show a wind shift. The winds were out of the north-northwest at takeoff.
If altitude of 200 feet AGL or more was flown; the wind turned west and I was heading for the ocean. To prevent a water landing; I had to fly at 200 feet AGL approximately to catch a southerly wind to carry me away from the city of Solana Beach, CA.
For a short time; I was under the 1000 feet limit over Solana Beach, CA. I did the safest judgement under the circumstances. To prevent this from happening in the future; it will be simply a matter of taking off at a location further inland.
Show the original NASA report (verbatim, telegraphic)
I CHOSE THE WRONG TKOF LOCATION FOR THE HOT AIR BALLOON. EVEN THOUGH WINDS WERE CHKED WITH FSS AND SMALL HELIUM INDICATOR BALLOON WAS USED; SURFACE WINDS; WINDS ALOFT AND LCL AREA FORECAST DID NOT SHOW A WIND SHIFT. THE WINDS WERE OUT OF THE NNW AT TKOF. IF ALT OF 200 FT AGL OR MORE WAS FLOWN; THE WIND TURNED W AND I WAS HDG FOR THE OCEAN. TO PREVENT A WATER LNDG; I HAD TO FLY AT 200 FT AGL APPROX TO CATCH A SOUTHERLY WIND TO CARRY ME AWAY FROM THE CITY OF SOLANA BEACH; CA. FOR A SHORT TIME; I WAS UNDER THE 1000 FT LIMIT OVER SOLANA BEACH; CA. I DID THE SAFEST JUDGEMENT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE; IT WILL BE SIMPLY A MATTER OF TAKING OFF AT A LOCATION FURTHER INLAND.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.