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Hot air balloon launched in min VFR conditions. Pilot had to stay low to stay out of thin overcast. Low flight over obstructions to effect a landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 188862 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199109 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 17s |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pdx |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Sail Plane |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff cruise other landing other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 188862 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Rigging for this hot air balloon flight began at dawn with a clear sky overhead and a 12 point temperature dew point spread reported by FSS 20 mi south of our location. Fog began drifting overhead at 700 ft AGL during the inflation, and the launch was put on hold until the WX appeared to be clearing. Immediately after launch, it became apparent visibility was worse than expected, and was not going to allow the aircraft to stay clear of clouds. Visual contact with the ground was kept, and a landing made at the first available site within 45 min of launch. The situation was caused by my decision to fly in less than optimum conditions, conditions were marginal, but thought to be safe. However, a proper landing area was difficult to locate due to trees, power lines, etc. Future flts should be made with twice the ceiling, min.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: HOT AIR BALLOON LAUNCHED IN MIN VFR CONDITIONS. PLT HAD TO STAY LOW TO STAY OUT OF THIN OVCST. LOW FLT OVER OBSTRUCTIONS TO EFFECT A LNDG.
Narrative: RIGGING FOR THIS HOT AIR BALLOON FLT BEGAN AT DAWN WITH A CLR SKY OVERHEAD AND A 12 POINT TEMP DEW POINT SPREAD RPTED BY FSS 20 MI S OF OUR LOCATION. FOG BEGAN DRIFTING OVERHEAD AT 700 FT AGL DURING THE INFLATION, AND THE LAUNCH WAS PUT ON HOLD UNTIL THE WX APPEARED TO BE CLRING. IMMEDIATELY AFTER LAUNCH, IT BECAME APPARENT VISIBILITY WAS WORSE THAN EXPECTED, AND WAS NOT GOING TO ALLOW THE ACFT TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS. VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND WAS KEPT, AND A LNDG MADE AT THE FIRST AVAILABLE SITE WITHIN 45 MIN OF LAUNCH. THE SITUATION WAS CAUSED BY MY DECISION TO FLY IN LESS THAN OPTIMUM CONDITIONS, CONDITIONS WERE MARGINAL, BUT THOUGHT TO BE SAFE. HOWEVER, A PROPER LNDG AREA WAS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE DUE TO TREES, PWR LINES, ETC. FUTURE FLTS SHOULD BE MADE WITH TWICE THE CEILING, MIN.
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.