A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT FLEW LOW TO FIND A PROPER LNDG SITE. THE RPTR BELIEVES THAT BALLOONS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FLY AT LOWER ALTS THAN OTHER ACFT.

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I FLY FOR A HOT AIR BALLOON COMPANY IN WA; ON OCCASION (SEASONAL). OUR TARGET AREA TO LAND IS A WIDE OPEN RIVER VALLEY WITH NO OBSTRUCTIONS; HOMES; ETC. AFTER CAREFUL PREFLT PLANNING; I CHOSE WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE LAUNCH SITE TO ENABLE ME TO DRIFT BACK TO THE VALLEY. THE HILLS ON THE W SIDE OF VALLEY ARE CONGESTED AND WITH FEW FIELDS FOR LNDG. FURTHER W IS LAKE WASHINGTON. I PLAN MY LAUNCH SITES SO AS TO AVOID THIS DIRECTION/AREA. 30 MINS AFTER DEP; I HAD A WIND SHIFT OF ALMOST 90 DEGS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STAY OFF THE W RIDGE. THE WIND SHIFT WAS NOT FORECASTED. I COULD HAVE REMAINED AT MINIMUM SAFE ALTS AND AT MY PRESENT COURSE/DRIFT AND POSSIBLY MADE IT INTO A PARK ON THE EDGE OF THE LAKE. SHOULD I HAVE MISSED THAT PARK; I WOULD BE RPTING AN ACCIDENT TO THE NTSB. I MADE THE DECISION TO DSND TO A LOWER ALT FOR A BETTER COURSE/DRIFT AND A SLOWER GND SPD. I LANDED THE BALLOON UNEVENTFULLY IN A CHURCH PARKING LOT. I KNOWINGLY VIOLATED MSA AS STATED IN THE FARS FOR THE SAFETY OF THE FLT. WHILE FLYING BELOW MSA; I AM SO CONCERNED WITH THE FACT THAT I AM IN VIOLATION OF THE MSA; THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO CONCENTRATE 100 PERCENT ON THE FLT DUTIES. I KNOW OF NUMEROUS OTHER PLTS WHO HAVE ENCOUNTERED SIMILAR SITS AND ENDED UP WITH SUSPENDED CERTIFICATES. I FEEL THAT THE CURRENT FARS IN REGARDS TO MSA'S NEED TO BE AMENDED FOR HOT AIR BALLOONS. THIS TYPE OF ACFT IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER IN FLT AND PERFORMANCE.