Ongoing flts in airport traffic area without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	133665
Time
Date	199001
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bis
State Reference	ND
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bis
Make Model Name	Experimental
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	133665
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

3 hot air balloons departed from the north area of town (about 3 mi from the airport) after drifting sebnd for about 1 hour, one of the balloons was observed by me to descend near the state penitentiary. Shortly thereafter, the state pen called us (the tower) to complain that the balloon had momentarily landed in their minimum security area. This is not the first incident we have had with balloons. They commonly depart from parks well inside the city limits (and the air traffic area). They have landed near busy roads and on the airport itself. Several times they have flown at low altitude just off the departure end of the runway in use. I see no reason why they cannot depart from a park away from the city and outside the air traffic area. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter experience: 6 yrs radar, 2 yrs non radar. The reporter stated this and other incidents with the hot air balloons have gone unreported. The reporter was counseled on FAA reporting procedures and that he should approach the facility management about the non reporting. Also a LOA between the ATC tower and the hot air balloon pilots should be entered into.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ONGOING FLTS IN ARPT TRAFFIC AREA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: 3 HOT AIR BALLOONS DEPARTED FROM THE N AREA OF TOWN (ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE ARPT) AFTER DRIFTING SEBND FOR ABOUT 1 HR, ONE OF THE BALLOONS WAS OBSERVED BY ME TO DSND NEAR THE STATE PENITENTIARY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE STATE PEN CALLED US (THE TWR) TO COMPLAIN THAT THE BALLOON HAD MOMENTARILY LANDED IN THEIR MINIMUM SECURITY AREA. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT WE HAVE HAD WITH BALLOONS. THEY COMMONLY DEPART FROM PARKS WELL INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS (AND THE ATA). THEY HAVE LANDED NEAR BUSY ROADS AND ON THE ARPT ITSELF. SEVERAL TIMES THEY HAVE FLOWN AT LOW ALT JUST OFF THE DEP END OF THE RWY IN USE. I SEE NO REASON WHY THEY CANNOT DEPART FROM A PARK AWAY FROM THE CITY AND OUTSIDE THE ATA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER EXPERIENCE: 6 YRS RADAR, 2 YRS NON RADAR. THE REPORTER STATED THIS AND OTHER INCIDENTS WITH THE HOT AIR BALLOONS HAVE GONE UNREPORTED. THE REPORTER WAS COUNSELED ON FAA REPORTING PROCS AND THAT HE SHOULD APCH THE FAC MGMNT ABOUT THE NON REPORTING. ALSO A LOA BETWEEN THE ATC TWR AND THE HOT AIR BALLOON PLTS SHOULD BE ENTERED INTO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.