A HOT AIR BALLOON WAS DAMAGED WHEN HIT BY A RADIO CTLED MODEL ACFT.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING A HOT AIR BALLOON 10 MI E OF MEM UNDERNEATH THE CLASS B. I HAD MADE AN APCH TO LAND 200 YARDS N OF A RADIO CTLED AIRFIELD AND DECIDED TO ABORT THE LNDG DUE TO MUDDY FIELD CONDITIONS. AS I BEGAN TO CLB OUT; I NOTICED 2 ACFT IN THE PATTERN; BUT BOTH PLTS SAW ME AND BOTH ACFT LANDED. I PASSED THE FIELD; HEADED S AND CONTINUED MY CLB. AT ABOUT 400 FT OF ALT; I LOOKED BACK TO SEE ONE OF THE ACFT HAD TAKEN OFF AND WAS TRYING TO CIRCLE THE BALLOON. HE HIT THE BALLOON CAUSING A 2 FT HOLE IN THE SIDE. THE MODEL ACFT HAD A 4 OR 5 FT WINGSPAN AND HAD A POWERFUL ENG. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF STRUCK. THE FUEL LINES COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERED CAUSING A FIRE. THE ACFT COULD HAVE BEEN FLOWN INSIDE THE BALLOON AND FALLEN ON THE BURNER WHICH WOULD SURELY CAUSE A FIRE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE MODEL ACFT CUT A HOLE JUST ABOVE THE EQUATOR THAT COST $330 TO REPAIR; PAID FOR BY THE MODELER'S INSURANCE COMPANY. THE RPTR HAD TO FLY ON FOR A MI TO FIND A SUITABLE LNDG SITE. HE PACKED UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND RETURNED TO THE MODEL AIRPLANE FIELD TO CONFRONT THE MODELER WHO WAS JUST LEAVING. THE MODELER GAVE A PHONY NAME INITIALLY. THE RPTR CHASED DOWN THE MODELER; KNOWING THE TYPE OF AUTO AND ACFT; THROUGH A MODEL SHOP. THE NTSB DID NOT GET INVOLVED. THE LCL FSDO SUGGESTED THAT THE RPTR SEND A RPT TO THE ASRS. THE RPTR DOES NOT KNOW IF THE FAA HAS TAKEN ANY ACTION AGAINST THE MODELER.