MAC BTWN 2 HOT AIR BALLOONS.

Narrative

A HOT AIR BALLOON RACE WAS IN PROGRESS WITH THE 'HARE' OR THE BALLOON BEING CHASED TAKING OFF FROM THE ARPT AT ABOUT XA30 SEP/SAT/95. APPROX 30 OTHER HOUNDS; OR BALLOONS THAT CHASE THE HARE; LAUNCHED A FEW MINS LATER. THE HARE BALLOON LANDED ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE ARPT TO DISPLAY THE TARGET. ALL OF THE OTHER BALLOONS ARE THEN SUPPOSED TO CONVERGE ON THE TARGET AREA TO THROW A SMALL WEIGHTED BAGGIE ON THE TARGET TO SEE WHO CAN MANEUVER THEIR BALLOON CLOSEST TO THE X. ON THIS MORNING; THE AIRSPD ON THE SURFACE; WHERE THE TARGET WAS DISPLAYED; WAS ABOUT 2 KTS. THE WIND ABOVE THE TREE LINE WAS ABOUT 8 KTS. ONE OF THE OTHER HOUND BALLOONS HAD REACHED THE TARGET A SHORT TIME BEFORE I HAD AND WAS IN THE SLOWER WIND UNDERNEATH AS I WAS DSNDING FROM THE UPPER WINDS DOWN TO THE LOWER; SLOWER WINDS. WE HAD FABRIC CONTACT; MEANING WE TOUCHED ENVELOPE TO ENVELOPE. MY BALLOON WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN HIS; SO THE EQUATOR OF MY BALLOON HIT HIS BALLOON RIGHT ABOVE HIS EQUATOR. HIS BALLOON WAS FLYING ABOUT 3 FT OFF THE GND AS WE MADE CONTACT; SO THE DOWNWARD MOMENTUM OF MY BALLOON CAUSED HIS BALLOON TO HIT THE GND. WHEN I SAW HIM HIT THE GND; I MADE EVASIVE MANEUVERS TO FLY OVER HIM. WHEN HE HIT THE GND; HE DECIDED TO DEFLATE HIS BALLOON. AS I WAS FLYING OVER HIS ENVELOPE; MY BALLOON BASKET SLID OVER HIS ENVELOPE. I FLEW ON. THERE WAS NO ACFT DAMAGE AND THERE WAS NO INJURIES TO EITHER BALLOON INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT.