A hot air balloon pilot got closer to a cloud than the regulations allow.

Attributes
ACN	237793
Time
Date	199304
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tcy
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : bird
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 113 flight time type : 74
ASRS Report	237793
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My single passenger and I were on the second flight of the morning. I was climbing at 300 FPM in order to catch a southerly flow. It was sunny except to the north where some haze was visible. My passenger said 'gee, look at that cloud.' I turned around to see a cloud or fog only 100 ft away at our altitude (800 ft). It was like it had just formed there in less than a min. The balloon was not moving, so there was very little air movement. I immediately vented and began a descent as quickly as was safe (600 FPM). In less than 3 mins I had an uneventful landing and was on the ground after deciding to end the day's flying. I had flown just over 2 hours which is typical for this area. I maintained visual contact with the ground at all times and our chase crew thought we were in sunshine all the time. There were no other aircraft in the area. 2 other balloons had just landed. I believe that a bubble of warm moist air from a field below me moved up into cooler air and formed visible moisture. This took less than a few mins and could not have been anticipated. Since the central valley is so fog prone, better or more temperature dew point readings or information could be obtained. This was a very local occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT GOT CLOSER TO A CLOUD THAN THE REGS ALLOW.

Narrative: MY SINGLE PAX AND I WERE ON THE SECOND FLT OF THE MORNING. I WAS CLBING AT 300 FPM IN ORDER TO CATCH A SOUTHERLY FLOW. IT WAS SUNNY EXCEPT TO THE N WHERE SOME HAZE WAS VISIBLE. MY PAX SAID 'GEE, LOOK AT THAT CLOUD.' I TURNED AROUND TO SEE A CLOUD OR FOG ONLY 100 FT AWAY AT OUR ALT (800 FT). IT WAS LIKE IT HAD JUST FORMED THERE IN LESS THAN A MIN. THE BALLOON WAS NOT MOVING, SO THERE WAS VERY LITTLE AIR MOVEMENT. I IMMEDIATELY VENTED AND BEGAN A DSCNT AS QUICKLY AS WAS SAFE (600 FPM). IN LESS THAN 3 MINS I HAD AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND WAS ON THE GND AFTER DECIDING TO END THE DAY'S FLYING. I HAD FLOWN JUST OVER 2 HRS WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR THIS AREA. I MAINTAINED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND AT ALL TIMES AND OUR CHASE CREW THOUGHT WE WERE IN SUNSHINE ALL THE TIME. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. 2 OTHER BALLOONS HAD JUST LANDED. I BELIEVE THAT A BUBBLE OF WARM MOIST AIR FROM A FIELD BELOW ME MOVED UP INTO COOLER AIR AND FORMED VISIBLE MOISTURE. THIS TOOK LESS THAN A FEW MINS AND COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATED. SINCE THE CENTRAL VALLEY IS SO FOG PRONE, BETTER OR MORE TEMP DEW POINT READINGS OR INFO COULD BE OBTAINED. THIS WAS A VERY LCL OCCURRENCE.

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.