A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT LANDED IN A CITY PARK AFTER SUNSET. WX FACTORS WIND SHIFT. NIGHT OP WITH PROPER LIGHTING.

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DURING A COMMERCIAL PAX FLT IN A HOT AIR BALLOON ON AUG/XX/96 IN THE WOODINVILLE-REDMOND AREA; IT BECAME NECESSARY TO MAKE A SAFE LNDG TO CITY PARK. THE LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER SUNSET. TO HAVE CONTINUED THE FLT BEYOND THE POINT OF LNDG COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A DANGEROUS AND/OR EMER SIT. THE ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH NIGHT LIGHTS AND WERE IN USE. 10 MINS PRIOR TO LNDG; I ATTEMPTED TO USE THE SAME LOW LEVEL WINDS AS ANOTHER BALLOON WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED FT OF MY LOCATION THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MORE SUITABLE LNDG SITE. HOWEVER; I WAS NOT ABLE TO ESTABLISH THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE OTHER BALLOON. THE LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. HOWEVER; ON CONTACT WITH THE GND I ATTEMPTED TO GRAB HIGHER UP ON THE RED LINE TO FULLY ACTUATE THE PARACHUTE DEFLATION SYS. IN THE LOW LIGHT OF DUSK I INADVERTENTLY GRABBED THAT PART OF THE RED LINE THAT WAS TIED OFF TO THE BURNER FRAME. WHEN THE ENVELOPE RECOILED FROM THE LOSS OF WT ON LNDG; THE TOP RESETTLED AND THE BALLOON WENT BACK INTO THE AIR. THE GND CREW WAS ABLE TO USE THE DROP LINE; WHICH HAD BEEN DEPLOYED BEFORE THE INITIAL LNDG; TO CTL THE BALLOON AND PREVENT CONTINUED FLT. I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND TOOK APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ACTUATE THE PARACHUTE TOP AND RETURN TO THE GND. IN ANALYZING THE SIT; I HAVE RETHOUGHT WHERE THE RED LINE SHOULD BE TIED OFF. RATHER THAN IN THE HIGHER POS OF THE BURNER FRAME; WHERE IN LOW LIGHT I MISTAKENLY GRABBED THE WRONG PART; I NOW TIE THE RED LINE OFF ON THE INSIDE OF THE BASKET NEAR THE FUEL TANKS. THIS WILL PREVENT THE SIT FROM REOCCURRING.