Balloon pilot encounters WX, penetrates ftw arsa in IMC in VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	176700
Time
Date	199104
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ftw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ftw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 342 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	176700
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Did WX brief. All local reporting stations reported low winds. Carswell had patchy 600' ceilings standard dew point temperature spread 5-6 degrees. 3000' wind was 180/17; 6000' 220/15 for predicted upper level. We got to launch site with carswell and meacham fields pre-called and notified of our launch. Sky had high clouds during our inflation. 1 balloon launched and cleared field, then I landed. I stabilized and climbed at about 400'. Haze was encountered and thickened considerably until ground below was obscured right under me. We passed through several shears. The cloud layer below me became thicker, but occasionally I could see landmarks and determined that I was close to meacham field. I tried to pass through a hole in cloud cover, but got caught up in it and passed through a layer into clear air right beside meacham's runway at the end of their approach. I landed as soon as possible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BALLOON PLT ENCOUNTERS WX, PENETRATES FTW ARSA IN IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: DID WX BRIEF. ALL LCL RPTING STATIONS RPTED LOW WINDS. CARSWELL HAD PATCHY 600' CEILINGS STD DEW POINT TEMP SPREAD 5-6 DEGS. 3000' WIND WAS 180/17; 6000' 220/15 FOR PREDICTED UPPER LEVEL. WE GOT TO LAUNCH SITE WITH CARSWELL AND MEACHAM FIELDS PRE-CALLED AND NOTIFIED OF OUR LAUNCH. SKY HAD HIGH CLOUDS DURING OUR INFLATION. 1 BALLOON LAUNCHED AND CLRED FIELD, THEN I LANDED. I STABILIZED AND CLBED AT ABOUT 400'. HAZE WAS ENCOUNTERED AND THICKENED CONSIDERABLY UNTIL GND BELOW WAS OBSCURED RIGHT UNDER ME. WE PASSED THROUGH SEVERAL SHEARS. THE CLOUD LAYER BELOW ME BECAME THICKER, BUT OCCASIONALLY I COULD SEE LANDMARKS AND DETERMINED THAT I WAS CLOSE TO MEACHAM FIELD. I TRIED TO PASS THROUGH A HOLE IN CLOUD COVER, BUT GOT CAUGHT UP IN IT AND PASSED THROUGH A LAYER INTO CLR AIR RIGHT BESIDE MEACHAM'S RWY AT THE END OF THEIR APCH. I LANDED ASAP.

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.