SAN DIEGO – Quick thinking from a pilot and bystanders helped avert disaster and lead to a safe touchdown for a hot air balloon in a Rancho Santa Fe neighborhood Saturday.
ABC News reports that the balloon, carrying nearly a dozen people, made some rocky maneuvers before it finally came to rest on a suburban street. The landing was captured on video.
Residents told ABC News that the balloon was initially headed towards a busy intersection, it then diverted and ran into a tree, where its flames almost ignited the branches.
Finally, the balloon made its way towards the middle of a street. The pilot lowered a rope and several onlookers pulled the balloon down. As it levitated, several neighbors held down the rope as the balloon finally came to rest.
There were no reported injuries. What caused the balloon to crash land was not immediately confirmed.
There have been several close calls involving hot air balloons in San Diego County over the past few years.
In October of last year, a man proposed to his fiancée aboard a hot air balloon just before it landed in the ocean.
In January of this year, a hot air balloon made an emergency landing in a Sorrento Valley business park.
And in July, drivers in Rancho Penasquitos got quite a shock when a hot air balloon made an emergency landing between two major highways.
