A Southern California homeowner received an unexpected surprise when a hot air balloon carrying 13 people made an emergency landing in his backyard.
The enormous vessel descended perfectly on a narrow strip of grass at a Temecula residence on Saturday.
Hunter Perrin recounted his astonishment to KABC-TV, stating he was unaware of the visitors until a neighbor alerted him.
“I open the sliding glass door, and there’s a basket full of 13 people in my backyard!” Perrin exclaimed, praising the pilot’s skill. “The pilot, he was masterful. … The balloon didn’t catch on anything. No one was injured.”
Passenger Brianna Avalos, celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary, explained the pilot informed them of low fuel and weak winds necessitating the unscheduled descent.
“At first I was like, ‘Oh my God! We’re in a backyard! This is crazy!’” she recalled.
The dark blue balloon, adorned with gold stars and a crescent moon, created a striking spectacle as it rested on the lawn, towering over Perrin’s home.
After safely disembarking the passengers, the pilot skillfully returned the balloon aloft before landing it nearby in the street for dismantling.
“He was an amazing pilot,” Avalos said.
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