HOT AIR BALLOON PLT RELYING ON FUEL GAUGES RUNS OUT OF PROPANE AND MAKES AN EMER LNDG.

Narrative

THE BALLOON I WAS FLYING LANDED IN A VINEYARD; DAMAGING SOME VINES. I BELIEVED I HAD ADEQUATE FUEL IN THE FOURTH TANK OF FOUR IN THE BASKED; TO REACH A CLEAR LANDING SITE. HOWEVER; THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE TANK; IN SPITE OF THE GAUGE INDICATING FUEL. IT TRANSPIRED THAT THE GAUGE WAS FAULTY. THE BALLOON WAS LAST FLOWN THE DAY BEFORE. OUR STANDARD PROC IS TO FUEL THE BALLOONS; FILLING ALL FUEL TANKS COMPLETELY; BEFORE THE BALLOONS ARE PUT AWAY AFTER A FLIGHT. STANDARD PROC WAS FOLLOWED AND THE BALLOON WAS STOWED WITH FOUR TANKS WITH GAUGES INDICATING THEY WERE FULL. IN THE MORNING THE CREW AND I LAID OUT THE BALLOON AT OUR LAUNCH SITE. WE FOLLOWED OUR PREFLT CHKLIST; INCLUDING A CHECK OF ALL FOUR FUEL TANKS. THE GAUGES ON ALL FOUR TANKS INDICATED THEY WERE FULL OF PROPANE; GENERALLY ENOUGH TO LAST FOR APPROX 2 HRS. WE LAUNCHED FOR A ONE HOUR FLT WITH 15 PAX. THE EAST WIND THAT NORMALLY TAKES US TO OUR REGULAR LNDG SITES DID NOT MATERIALIZE. THE WIND CAME MORE ROM THE NORTH; TAKING US IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION; AND WE WERE REQUIRED TO FLY LONGER TO FIND A SAFE LNDG SITE. I IDENTIFIED AND APPROACHED A CLEAR LNDG SITE THAT WOULD PROVIDE A SAFE SPOT FOR OUR PAX TO DISEMBARK. I RELIED ON FUEL REMAINING IN THE 4TH FUEL TANK; AS INDICATED BY THE FUEL GAUGE; TO TAKE ME TO THAT SITE; HOWEVER WHEN I SWITCHED TO THAT TANK; I REALIZED THERE WAS NO FUEL AND THAT SOME KIND OF FUEL SYS MALFUNCTION HAD OCCURRED. THEREFORE; I LANDED IMMEDIATELY UNDER CONTROL; AND ALL PAX SAFELY EXITED THE BALLOON. WE HIT A SET OF VINES IN THE VINEYARD. I ADDED A TANK AND FLEW ALONE OUT OF THE VINEYARD AND LANDED ELSEWHERE. MY TOP PRIORITY WAS THE SAFETY OF MY PAX. WE HAD A SAFE LANDING WITH NO INJURIES. IF THE BALLOON HAD NOT HAD A FUEL SYS MALFUNCTION; WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LAND IN A SAFE; CLEAR SPACE WITH NO VINES. WE TOOK THE TANK TO AN FAA-CERTIFICATED BALLOON REPAIR STATION WHICH FOUND THE RING AND PINION GEARS OF THE GAUGE MECHANISM TO BE BINDING AND VERY STIFF. THEY RECOMMENDED THE GAUGE BE REPLACED AND WE WILL COMPLY. FOR ALL FUTURE FLTS I WILL CHECK THE LIQUID LEVEL INDICATOR VALVE ON EACH TANK TO ENSURE PROPANE COMES OUT; AND NOT RELY SOLELY ON THE GAUGES. FURTHERMORE; WE WILL INSTRUCT THE REPAIR STATION THAT PERFORMS INSPECTIONS ON OUR BALLOONS TO CHECK FOR CORRECT OPERATION.