A HOT AIR BALLOON LANDED IN A TREE.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING AN AX10 BALLOON CARRYING 7 PAX. THE WINDS WERE RPTED 6 KTS ON THE SURFACE AND 8 KTS AT 3000 FT. LAUNCH TIME XA00 AM. I STARTED THE FLT AT ABOUT 1200 FT HEADING NE TO GO OVER AN AMUSEMENT PARK AND PLANNED TO USE THE SURFACE WINDS TO LAND IN THE FIELD ON THE N SIDE OF THE PARK PROPERTY. PARK PROPERTY IS ALL TREES EXCEPT FOR THE ATTRACTION AREAS AND PARKING LOTS. AT ABOUT XA30 I HAD TO SWITCH TO MY LAST 2 FUEL TANKS AND I WAS LESS THAN HALF WAY ACROSS PARK PROPERTY. AFTER CHKING THE WIND SPDS FROM TREE TOP TO 1200 FT; I FOUND THE FASTEST WIND AT 800 FT 8.5 MPH ON MY GPS. MY ASSESSMENT OF THE SIT WAS: 1) THE FUEL REMAINING AT THE GIVEN SPD WOULD GIVE ME JUST ENOUGH TO LAND OFF PARK PROPERTY AT THE INTENDED FIELD WITH NO FUEL TO SPARE; 2) THE PARKING LOT ON THE FAR END OF PARK PROPERTY IS THE ONLY OPEN AREA IN MY FLT PATH; AT 800 FT FOR A SAFE LNDG; 3) THE WINDS AT 100 FT WILL TAKE ME TO A CLOSER FIELD BUT THE WIND IS ONLY 6 MPH. I ELECTED TO LAND IN THE PARKING LOT AND RISK JAIL FOR TRESPASSING. AS I APCHED THE PARKING LOT; THE WIND STARTED TAKING ME MORE TO THE R AND AWAY FROM THE PARKING LOT. WITH ONLY THE FAR R CORNER OF THE LOT NOW IN MY PATH AND PWR LINES ON DOWNWIND SIDE OF THIS LOT; I DECIDED TO FLY ON. I NOW HAD 10 PERCENT AND 5 PERCENT LEFT IN THE LAST 2 TANKS. I SWITCHED TO THE 2 EMPTY TANKS AND BLED THEM DRY BEFORE USING MY LAST 15 PERCENT. WHEN I GOT DOWN TO 5 PERCENT IN MY LAST TANK AND NOTHING BUT TREES BELOW; I LEVELED OUT AT TREE TOP LEVEL AND TOLD MY PAX TO GET IN THE LNDG POS. AS THE LAST TANK WENT TO VAPOR AND STILL 100 YARDS FROM THE CLRING; I USED WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE FUEL FOR A CTLED LNDG IN THE TREES. WE HAD TO WALK OUT AND THE BALLOON HAD TO BE REMOVED VIA HELI BUT THE PAX WERE OK. SHORT OF LAUNCHING ELSEWHERE; I DO NOT KNOW HOW THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATED OR AVOIDED. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHY THE MINIMUM SAFE ALTS FOR FIXED WING SHOULD NOT APPLY TO BALLOONS. IF I HAD BEEN AT 500 FT WHEN THE LAST OF MY FUEL WENT; THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY TO CTL MY DSCNT AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURIES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A THUNDER AND COLT 180000 CUBIC FT BALLOON WITH 8 PAX. THE ENVELOPE SUFFERED A SMALL TEAR FROM A DEAD BRANCH. THE LCL FAA WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE INCIDENT; AND THE RPTR HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING FURTHER FROM THEM. THE PAX WERE ALL OFFERED A 'FREE BALLOON RIDE FOR THEIR INCONVENIENCE.' ALL PAX ACCEPTED ON THE CONDITION THAT THE RPTR BE THEIR PLT. THE AMUSEMENT PARK; WHICH OWNS SEVERAL SPECIAL SHAPE BALLOONS; IS NOT FRIENDLY TO BALLOONS OR OTHER KINDS OF GA. IT HAS OFFERED TO PUT ANY AERONAUT INTO JAIL IF HE OR SHE DARES TO LAND IN THEIR PARKING LOT; EVEN IF THE PARK IS CLOSED.