Confusion As Balloons Land At Air Force Academy

Unplanned balloon landings at the Air Force Academy Sunday caused some security issues.

Air Force Academy officials said they had cleared their air space, allowing the balloons to fly over the Academy, but they were not expecting balloons to land there. Unfortunately, hot air balloon pilots have a limited choice to where they can land. As the winds pushed balloons Northwest, seven balloons ended up landing on the Academy.

As crews came to pick up their balloons, they were not allowed on base with out an escort. One crew chief called KRDO Newschannel13 to tell us she had trouble passing through the gate. Air Force Academy officials said she tried to get through the gate without an escort and guards threatened to detain her. An escort eventually arrived and she was taken to her balloon.

An Air Force Academy spokesman said were not staffed to handle all the security and several crews had to be called in. Security officials waited with the landed balloons as other security crews worked to escort people.

Officials said all of the balloons and their crews were escorted off the Academy by 10:30 a.m. Sunday.