Hot air balloon flight, VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	289605
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	289602
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After receiving a WX briefing from the st petersburg FSS, which forecasted 1500 scattered, 12000 scattered with occasional 1 mi and fog, and observing at the launch site 2 mi visibility and a high scattered layer just prior to liftoff, all balloon pilots and crews determined a safe flight would be conducted with observed and forecast conditions. Approximately 10 mins into the flight, WX conditions rapidly deteriorated due to fog. Approximately 1/2 mi visibility was observed while at an altitude of 200 ft. Flight at 200 ft with 1/2 mi visibility could not be continued and no safe landing area was observed. Therefore, a climb through a 100 ft thick layer of fog was initiated and the flight was continued under VFR on top until a hole through the fog was found and a landing was made safely in a vacant lot at willow pond subdivision in lutz, fl. Considering fuel limits and density of fog ahead and familiarity with subdivision, I chose the landing area as the safest option. Cause: inaccurate WX forecast. Recommendation: increase margin for error in forecasts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON FLT, VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING A WX BRIEFING FROM THE ST PETERSBURG FSS, WHICH FORECASTED 1500 SCATTERED, 12000 SCATTERED WITH OCCASIONAL 1 MI AND FOG, AND OBSERVING AT THE LAUNCH SITE 2 MI VISIBILITY AND A HIGH SCATTERED LAYER JUST PRIOR TO LIFTOFF, ALL BALLOON PLTS AND CREWS DETERMINED A SAFE FLT WOULD BE CONDUCTED WITH OBSERVED AND FORECAST CONDITIONS. APPROX 10 MINS INTO THE FLT, WX CONDITIONS RAPIDLY DETERIORATED DUE TO FOG. APPROX 1/2 MI VISIBILITY WAS OBSERVED WHILE AT AN ALT OF 200 FT. FLT AT 200 FT WITH 1/2 MI VISIBILITY COULD NOT BE CONTINUED AND NO SAFE LNDG AREA WAS OBSERVED. THEREFORE, A CLB THROUGH A 100 FT THICK LAYER OF FOG WAS INITIATED AND THE FLT WAS CONTINUED UNDER VFR ON TOP UNTIL A HOLE THROUGH THE FOG WAS FOUND AND A LNDG WAS MADE SAFELY IN A VACANT LOT AT WILLOW POND SUBDIVISION IN LUTZ, FL. CONSIDERING FUEL LIMITS AND DENSITY OF FOG AHEAD AND FAMILIARITY WITH SUBDIVISION, I CHOSE THE LNDG AREA AS THE SAFEST OPTION. CAUSE: INACCURATE WX FORECAST. RECOMMENDATION: INCREASE MARGIN FOR ERROR IN FORECASTS.

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.