The federal transportation board is investigating after a hot air balloon was forced to make an emergency landing in west Ottawa when a hole was torn through the balloon's lower panels and part of the balloon caught fire.

Eleven passengers and two pilots were onboard when the Sundance balloon went down Wednesday night. No one was injured.

The balloon, featuring CTV advertising, came down at about 8 p.m. on the front lawn of a home on Meadowlands Drive, just west of Merivale Road.

Among the riders was former Ottawa-area MP Marlene Catterall who was riding in the balloon with her husband to celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary.

"This was an anniversary we'll certainly remember," she said.

Catterall said the trouble started about 40 minutes into the flight near Ottawa's Experimental Farm. The weather conditions changed quickly, causing a change in wind speed or direction to break a hole through the balloon and force it down.

As the balloon's pilots opened the burner to try to regain altitude, the lower part of the balloon caught fire, melting some of the fabric.

The pilots bumped into a tree as they took the balloon down, eventually landing the basket in the west-end neighbourhood.

Company officials say the incident is a rare occurrence, and the pilots did a great job at bringing the balloon down safely.

Barry McGonigle, of Sundance Balloons, says 13 is the maximum number of passengers allowed in the balloon's basket.

McGonigle adds the balloon has been sent to London, Ont. for repair. He expects it will be back in service early next week.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Catherine Lathem