The commuter pilot reports unsuccessful attempt to assure separation from known WX balloon.

Attributes
ACN	288946
Time
Date	199411
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ntd airport : sba
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ntd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 6 flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	288946
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

When WX balloons are launched, magu approach makes a broadcast in the blind. Commuter flts such as mine may not have checked in: ie, still with socal or sba approach. However, at 250 KTS we may still arrive in the vicinity of the balloon without any knowledge of it. I was recently behind a commuter that had a near-hit with 1 of these balloons. I asked for a vector away from the area. The controller said that he had no way of knowing wind drift. I understand this but on most days with winds from the west magu approach could either 'take a stabilizer' at it or put out a NOTAM that gives the exact launch location so that I can deviate on my own. I have notified my company of this problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE COMMUTER PLT RPTS UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO ASSURE SEPARATION FROM KNOWN WX BALLOON.

Narrative: WHEN WX BALLOONS ARE LAUNCHED, MAGU APCH MAKES A BROADCAST IN THE BLIND. COMMUTER FLTS SUCH AS MINE MAY NOT HAVE CHKED IN: IE, STILL WITH SOCAL OR SBA APCH. HOWEVER, AT 250 KTS WE MAY STILL ARRIVE IN THE VICINITY OF THE BALLOON WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE OF IT. I WAS RECENTLY BEHIND A COMMUTER THAT HAD A NEAR-HIT WITH 1 OF THESE BALLOONS. I ASKED FOR A VECTOR AWAY FROM THE AREA. THE CTLR SAID THAT HE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING WIND DRIFT. I UNDERSTAND THIS BUT ON MOST DAYS WITH WINDS FROM THE W MAGU APCH COULD EITHER 'TAKE A STAB' AT IT OR PUT OUT A NOTAM THAT GIVES THE EXACT LAUNCH LOCATION SO THAT I CAN DEVIATE ON MY OWN. I HAVE NOTIFIED MY COMPANY OF THIS PROB.

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.