A HOT AIR BALLOON DAMAGED A ROOF ON A LNDG APCH.
Synopsis
A HOT AIR BALLOON DAMAGED A ROOF ON A LNDG APCH.
Narrative
ON AUG/FRI/95; AT APPROX XA20 PM; I DEPARTED THE HIGHLAND VILLAGE PARK BESIDE LAKE LEWISVILLE WITH A PLANNED LNDG IN AN AREA S OF LAKEVIEW ARPT; OR AS AN ALTERNATE; LAKEVIEW ARPT ITSELF. A CHANGE OF WIND CAUSED 2 OTHER BALLOONS AHEAD OF ME TO PUT DOWN ON THE SHORELINE OF THE W PENINSULA OF LAKE LEWISVILLE. AS I WAS APCHING THAT AREA; THE WINDS CHANGED AS I DSNDED CAUSING ME TO ABANDON THE SHORELINE AREA AS A LNDG SITE. AS I WAS ON A LOW APCH TO AN ALTERNATE FIELD; THE CHANGING WIND CAUSED ME TO GRAZE A ROOFTOP ON MY APCH. I YELLED TO MY CREW TO OBTAIN THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE HOMEOWNER. THE NEXT MORNING; I CONTACTED THE HOMEOWNER AND MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR REPAIR OF THE ROOF. THE DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO 3 SHINGLES AND THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $50. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING IN A FESTIVAL AT HIGHLAND VILLAGE FLYING AN AEROSTAR AX-7. THE RPTR WAS DISTRACTED BY SEEING HER CHASE VEHICLE BEING SURROUNDED BY LCL POLICE FOR ALLEGEDLY SPDING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD. AFTER HITTING THE ROOF; SHE FLEW OVER THE LAKE AND HAD TO BE TOWED ASHORE. THERE WAS AN FAA REPRESENTATIVE AT THE FESTIVAL WHO INVESTIGATED THE WHOLE AFFAIR. HE AGREED THAT THE POLICE WERE OVER-ZEALOUS IN THEIR HANDLING THE CHASE VEHICLE. THE RPTR HAS HAD A LETTER OF WARNING PUT IN HER FILE REGARDING THE ROOF INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN AGAINST THE CHASE VEHICLE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.