HOT AIR BALLOON LANDED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.

Narrative

BEGAN APCH 1-2 MI FROM POTENTIAL LNDG SITE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOW LEVEL WIND DRIFTING TOWARD PARK AT N EDGE OF TOWN. WINDS BECAME VERY SLOW AND VARIABLE. DUE TO DENSE FARM LAND AND BEYOND WITH THE LIKELY POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE TO CROPS; I ELECTED TO LAND IN OPEN CLRING IN NEIGHBORHOOD. WINDS ON THE SURFACE WERE NON-EXISTENT AND WE USED 'DROPLINE' TO GUIDE BALLOON TO LNDG AREA. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO ANY PROPERTY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR IS A FULL TIME AMOUNT AERONAUT IN THE RIDE BUSINESS. HE HAS RECENTLY RELOCATED TO WILSONVILLE; OR. AS IS CUSTOMARY IN THE BALLOONING BUSINESS; THE RPTR CHKED WITH ANOTHER BALLOONIST IN THE AREA; A COMPETITOR; TO FIND OUT WHERE THE BEST PLACES TO FLY WERE LOCATED. THE COMPETITOR GAVE THE RPTR SOME VERY BAD INFO. THE RPTR HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA; LCL LAW; OR LANDOWNERS REGARDING THESE INCIDENTS; HE LANDED IN AN I-5 EXIT AFTER ALMOST 2 HRS OF FLT WHEN THE PAX HAD ONLY PAID FOR A 1 HR RIDE. FUEL WAS BEGINNING TO BE A PROB; AND THE PAX GOT TO SEE THE RPTR BECOME VERY ANXIOUS.