A hot-air balloon with a pilot and 13 passengers touched down Saturday in a Temecula, California backyard after fuel ran low and wind conditions shifted unexpectedly.
Hunter Perrin was inside his home watching television when a neighbor knocked on the door with startling news. His wife was doing yoga. Neither had any warning of what was about to unfold on their small patch of grass.
The enormous blue balloon, decorated with gold stars and a crescent moon, descended with remarkable precision onto Perrin's yard, which measures only about 10 feet wide. The landing was so tight that the basket came within inches of the property's fence and trees.
"It was unbelievable, like something out of a Disney fairytale," Jenna Perrin said. "The balloon didn't hit our house or our trees. It was kissing the fence."
One passenger on board was Brianna Avalos, who was celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary with a scenic balloon ride. When the pilot announced the emergency landing, the situation seemed surreal. "At first I was like, 'Oh my God! We're in a backyard! This is crazy!''' Avalos told KABC-TV.
The pilot safely disembarked all passengers, then took the balloon aloft again and landed it on the street nearby, where the craft was dismantled.
Denni Barrett, owner of Magical Adventure Balloon Rides, defended the pilot's decision without releasing his name. "He exercised great judgment and done the right thing," Barrett said. "Most of our landings are in wine country. Usually they're bigger backyards."
Avalos praised the pilot for his expertise in handling the emergency. The incident ended without injury, and what could have been a disaster instead became a neighborhood spectacle and an unforgettable anniversary memory.
Author James Rodriguez: "A skilled pilot turns a fuel emergency into a textbook safe landing, though the Perrins will likely never look at their backyard the same way again."
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