Balloon
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Lighter-Than-Air
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 9; Flight Crew Total 305; Flight Crew Type 305
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Police / Security Involved
Weather; Aircraft
On an early morning flight with 2 passengers after a nice flight up the valley in a strong; favorable high pressure weather pattern with surface winds in the 5-7 MPH area. After several landing approaches in variable but gentle winds (and an attempt to land at the airport with other balloons); winds became calm in the final phase of the flight; making steerage difficult and landing opportunities scarce. After drifting towards then hovering stationary over power lines at approximately 100 to 150 feet; in control of the balloon but running low on fuel at this point; I ascended to catch a wind that would move us away from and thus avoid the hazard. I drifted over a pine grove (about one acre); attempted a field landing within 2 rows of pine trees. The balloon descended to treetops so that passengers and pilot could 'walk' the balloon to the edge of the field by pulling on high branches from the basket and thus slide to the edge of the field. The balloon descended lower between two pine trees; holding the balloon like a funnel. The only corrective options at this point were to climb down the trees or lower the balloon to the ground. I chose the safer option; venting heat so the balloon would slowly deflate as trees guided us down. 10 feet from the ground; I vented further to reach the ground. This turned out to be the safest landing decision giving the circumstances; a decision that resulted in no injuries - my primary goal given the situation. First responders arrived to assist. All the passengers and the pilot were safe and walked to vehicles for the return ride to the launch site. No injuries. No property damage. Passengers refused EMT attention. First responders assisted balloon crew in carrying balloon and basket out of the woods. Negligible damage to aircraft. The pilot has considerable flying experience in this area and familiarity with the terrain. The flight two days prior was the same direction in a similar weather pattern; with a normal landing that was literally 300 yards west of the pine grove. Given passenger weight; ambient temperature; the conditions were well within parameters for a safe balloon flight.
Hot air balloon pilot reported landing in the trees.