Thirteen people aboard a hot air balloon got an unexpected close-up view of a California family’s backyard Saturday when their pilot was forced to make an emergency touchdown in Temecula.
Hunter Perrin had no clue about his surprise visitors until a neighbor knocked on his door to deliver the startling news. The massive balloon, carrying a pilot and dozen passengers, touched down flawlessly on Perrin’s narrow strip of grass.
“I was watching TV and my wife was doing yoga,” Perrin explained to The Associated Press. “There was a man standing in front of my door saying, ‘They just landed.’ What? I was very confused.”
The anxious group of travelers found themselves relieved to reach solid ground in Perrin’s compact backyard, which measures just 10 feet across.
“It was unbelievable, like something out of a Disney fairy tale,” Jenna Perrin remarked. “The balloon didn’t hit our house or our trees. It was kissing the fence.”
Among the passengers were Brianna Avalos and her spouse, who had chosen the balloon ride to mark their decade of marriage. According to Avalos, the pilot announced the need for an emergency touchdown due to insufficient fuel and changing wind conditions.
“At first I was like, ‘Oh my God! We’re in a backyard! This is crazy!’” Avalos shared with KABC-TV.
The striking blue balloon, decorated with golden stars and a crescent moon design, created quite a sight as it settled into the yard, dwarfing the Perrin residence. After helping all passengers exit safely, the pilot took the balloon back up and set it down on a nearby street for dismantling.
“He was an amazing pilot,” Avalos praised.
Denni Barrett, who owns Magical Adventure balloon company, chose not to reveal the pilot’s identity but commended his decision-making skills, saying he had “exercised great judgment” and “done the right thing.”
“Most of our landings are in wine country,” Barrett noted, speaking about the typical vineyard locations in Riverside County. “Usually they’re bigger backyards.”
