Balloons Land In Neighborhoods, Shopping Centers, Even The AFA

Some living in northwest Colorado Springs got some unexpected visitors Sunday morning. Winds pushed balloons in the Colorado Balloon Classic to that area, instead of southward where they usually fly.

Balloons ended up in shopping centers, neighborhoods and seven were forced to land at the Air Force Academy.

“The winds had shifted just a little bit, so they were taking us more westerly towards the mountains, and you don’t want to get up in the mountains by any means,” said Wayne Steele, who landed at the Academy.

AFA officials said balloons were cleared to fly over, but not to land.

“There were a couple folks who weren’t planning on coming to work this morning that we asked to come in,” said Col. Tim Gibson, 10th Airbase Wing Commander.

Gibson said the main concern was with balloons interfering with aviation training, but luckily, that didn’t happen. He said the Academy assisted all of the balloonists and their crews safely off the property.

Other balloons also ended up in unexpected spots. One landed by the Kohls Shopping Center on Nevada Avenue, another in the Kmart parking on Nevada and Fillmore, others passed through neighborhoods close to trees and homes.

“Down south you get a lot of open fields, it’s a lot easier to land,” said Noah Hunter, a balloonist who landed near UCCS. “Up north, it’s just kind of crazy, there’s not a lot of landing spots.”

KRDO Newschannel 13’s Chief Meteorologist Matt Meister said we can expect similar wind directions for the balloon launch on Monday.