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FSDO inspector claims balloon pilot violates provisions of federal aviation regulations concerning balloon operations.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 179705 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199105 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : luf |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | landing other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 280 |
| ASRS Report | 179705 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | observation : air carrier inspector |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was a participant in a hot air balloon competition in cincinnati, oh, and was flying under a waiver that lowered minimum altitudes to 500' over congested areas and 200' over sparsely populated areas. The 'hare' balloon placed the target on a golf course where a tournament was being held. I believe that the local FSDO is cracking down on balloons and their interpretation of appropriate landing sites for balloons. I landed downwind of the golf course at a water treatment plant. Minimum altitudes apply, 'except when necessary for takeoff or landing.' the local FSDO is trying to interpret this as saying that a balloon cannot takeoff or land in a congested area--that it is not necessary to takeoff or land in a congested area. While I do not believe that I violated any far's during my flight, I am filing this NASA report as a precaution due to the possibility of a different interpretation by the cincinnati FSDO.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FSDO INSPECTOR CLAIMS BALLOON PLT VIOLATES PROVISIONS OF FEDERAL AVIATION REGS CONCERNING BALLOON OPERATIONS.
Narrative: I WAS A PARTICIPANT IN A HOT AIR BALLOON COMPETITION IN CINCINNATI, OH, AND WAS FLYING UNDER A WAIVER THAT LOWERED MINIMUM ALTS TO 500' OVER CONGESTED AREAS AND 200' OVER SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS. THE 'HARE' BALLOON PLACED THE TARGET ON A GOLF COURSE WHERE A TOURNAMENT WAS BEING HELD. I BELIEVE THAT THE LCL FSDO IS CRACKING DOWN ON BALLOONS AND THEIR INTERP OF APPROPRIATE LNDG SITES FOR BALLOONS. I LANDED DOWNWIND OF THE GOLF COURSE AT A WATER TREATMENT PLANT. MINIMUM ALTS APPLY, 'EXCEPT WHEN NECESSARY FOR TKOF OR LNDG.' THE LCL FSDO IS TRYING TO INTERPRET THIS AS SAYING THAT A BALLOON CANNOT TKOF OR LAND IN A CONGESTED AREA--THAT IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO TKOF OR LAND IN A CONGESTED AREA. WHILE I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I VIOLATED ANY FAR'S DURING MY FLT, I AM FILING THIS NASA RPT AS A PRECAUTION DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A DIFFERENT INTERP BY THE CINCINNATI FSDO.
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.