Residents of a British Columbia community were alarmed Wednesday when a hot air balloon swooped over their neighbourhood, just metres above their roofs.
The balloon's pilot said he originally hoped to land near A. J. McLellan Park in Cloverdale, B.C., but shifting winds blew him off course.
Instead, Scott Nicol told CTV Vancouver that he was forced to fly low over the neighbourhood, aiming for a cul-de-sac in the area.
Alarmed residents called 911 about the massive balloon just above their homes.
When the cul-de-sac became too crowded with spectators to make a safe landing, Nicol headed for a nearby golf course, where he safely landed on a golf cart path.
"I just chose to stay low and ride it out over the neighbourhood and then pop up over the street and drop into the golf course at that point," Nicol said.
Nicol explained that different winds at different altitudes sometimes force balloons to change direction, so pilots should always have back up landing spots in mind.
"The golf course, for me, was my last option. I don’t like golf courses, you know, they’re real picky about the grass," he joked.
The seven people in the balloon, and the local residents, were all unharmed.
