OFF ARPT LNDG IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.

Narrative

AFTER A LITTLE MORE THAN 1 HR OF FLT TIME; A LOW LEVEL LNDG APCH WAS BEGUN AND MY GND CREW SENT BY RADIO IN ADVANCE TO A LARGE FIELD AT THE W CORNER OF WINE COUNTRY LANE AND LINDA VISTA AVENUE; APCHING THE FIELD FROM AN E- N-E TO A W DIRECTION. BECAUSE IT WAS NECESSARY TO CLB SLIGHTLY TO SAFELY FLY OVER PWRLINES ON LINDA VISTA AVENUE; THE WINDS CHANGED TO MORE OF A S DIRECTION TOWARD A GROVE OF EUCALYPTUS TREES AND THE S END OF THE FIELD. DUE TO THE WIND SPD AT THAT TIME (8-10 KTS); IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO LAND SAFELY IN THE FIELD SO I DECIDED TO STAY LOW AND FLY AT TREE-TOP LEVEL OVER THEM AND LAND WHERE A BALLOON HAD ALREADY LANDED AND WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE A CONSTRUCTION AREA. THE WINDS BEGAN TO CALM BACK DOWN OVER THE TREES (3-5 KTS) AND SHIFT AGAIN BACK MORE TO THE W. BECAUSE MY GND CREW WAS THERE WAITING FOR ME AND I KNEW I COULD MAKE A SAFER LNDG; I CHOSE TO LAND (WITH THE AID OF A DROP ROPE) AT THE CORNER OF A DEAD-END STREET AND DEFLATE THE BALLOON INTO AN UNOCCUPIED CUL DE SAC. THIS WAS THE SAFEST PLACE TO LAND AND WAS DONE WITHOUT NOISE OR INCIDENT. WE TOOK STEPS TO MAKE SURE WE DID NOT BLOCK ANY RESIDENTS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT LIVE THERE. THIS LNDG WAS MADE ONLY BECAUSE A SAFE LNDG COULD NOT BE MADE IN THE FIELD.