LCL POLICE CLRED A RESIDENTIAL ROAD SO THAT A HOT AIR BALLOON COULD LAND SAFELY.

Narrative

AFTER DETERMINING THAT SAFE FLYING CONDITIONS EXISTED; I LAUNCHED MY BALLOON WITH 3 PAX ABOARD. AFTER FLYING AT ALT FOR ABOUT 20 MINS; I NOTICED THAT THE TREES AND FLAGS INDICATED THAT THE SURFACE WINDS WERE INCREASING. I BEGAN A GRADUAL DSCNT ON COURSE TO LAND IN 1 OF 2 ADJACENT BALL FIELDS. DURING THE DSCNT I CHANGED COURSE; ELIMINATING THE FIELDS FROM CONSIDERATION FOR LNDG. I APCHED A SECTION OF THE CITY BEYOND WHICH WAS ANOTHER HILL. I PLANNED TO FLY OVER BOTH HILLS IN ORDER TO DSND INTO THE VALLEY BEYOND USING THE HILLS AS A WINDBREAK. AS I APCHED NEWTON HILL; I NOTICED A PARKING LOT AND ADJACENT GRASS AREA OVER THE CREST OF THE HILL. I DSNDED TO TREE TOP LEVEL AND BRUSHED THE BASKET INTO THE TREES IN ORDER TO SLOW THE BALLOON FOR A POSSIBLE LNDG. THE TREES SLOWED THE BALLOON'S MOMENTUM DRAMATICALLY. IT DID; HOWEVER; ALTER THE DIRECTION OF FLT AWAY FROM THE INTENDED LNDG AREA TOWARD A CITY STREET. APCHING THE STREET; I NOTICED THAT THE POLICE; WHO HAD BEEN FOLLOWING US; HAD STOPPED THE TFC PROVIDING US WITH A LONG CLR SECTION OF THE STREET ON WHICH TO LAND. AIDED BY THE WINDBREAK PROVIDED BY THE HILL; I QUICKLY DSNDED TO A SAFE LNDG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 4 LANE STREET. THE POINT OF LNDG WAS IN THE CTR OF THE APPROX 1500 FT LONG SECTION OF THE STREET WITH PARK LAND ON EACH SIDE AND NO ABOVE GND UTILITIES. ASSISTED BY THE POLICE AND MY CHASE CREW; WE PROMPTLY MOVED THE BALLOON TO A GRASS AREA NEXT TO THE STREET WHERE WE IMMEDIATELY DEFLATED IT AND PACKED IT UP.