Close encounter with WX balloon at 41,000'.

Attributes
ACN	116501
Time
Date	198907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ama
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 41000 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 18000
ASRS Report	116501
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 100
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

A WX balloon passed less than 100' overhead dead center with the fuselage. I saw it approximately 1000' away and had no time to maneuver if it had been necessary. Center said they had no knowledge of it. They later told us that one had been released at ama at XX00 am. This is the 2ND time this has happened to me in my career (that I know about). These balloons need to have an encoding transponder if there is any chance they might get into ATC airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH WX BALLOON AT 41,000'.

Narrative: A WX BALLOON PASSED LESS THAN 100' OVERHEAD DEAD CENTER WITH THE FUSELAGE. I SAW IT APPROX 1000' AWAY AND HAD NO TIME TO MANEUVER IF IT HAD BEEN NECESSARY. CENTER SAID THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF IT. THEY LATER TOLD US THAT ONE HAD BEEN RELEASED AT AMA AT XX00 AM. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN MY CAREER (THAT I KNOW ABOUT). THESE BALLOONS NEED TO HAVE AN ENCODING XPONDER IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE THEY MIGHT GET INTO ATC AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.