Near midair collision between air carrier medium large transport and WX balloon.

Attributes
ACN	142288
Time
Date	199004
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rzs
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17600 msl bound upper : 17600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	142280
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 : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On IFR flight plan climbing to cruising altitude, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. It was a climbing WX balloon about 500' below us, and passed just 200' below us. We notified ATC and they advised other flts. Not sure how to correct, but midair could be disastrous if wire wrapped around control surface or balloon sucked into engine.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BETWEEN ACR MLG AND WX BALLOON.

Narrative: ON IFR FLT PLAN CLBING TO CRUISING ALT, I CAUGHT SOMETHING OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE. IT WAS A CLBING WX BALLOON ABOUT 500' BELOW US, AND PASSED JUST 200' BELOW US. WE NOTIFIED ATC AND THEY ADVISED OTHER FLTS. NOT SURE HOW TO CORRECT, BUT MIDAIR COULD BE DISASTROUS IF WIRE WRAPPED AROUND CONTROL SURFACE OR BALLOON SUCKED INTO ENG.

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.