Pilot of a vintage aircraft accused of flying too close to a balloon during an annual balloon meet.

Attributes
ACN	340575
Time
Date	199607
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : u59
State Reference	ID
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	340575
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 1300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flew vintage aircraft around balloons in balloon festival. Kept a minimum of 2000 ft separation, all directions. Accused of flying too close and reckless by one balloonist. Don't know what to do to alter a balloonist's distance judgement! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he has done this flying with the balloons for the last 5 yrs and this is the first time that there has been a complaint. He tried to stay at least 2000 ft or more away from the balloons in order to not only assure clearance but to keep far enough away to not cause propeller wash turbulence to the balloon. He also stated that the FAA FSDO inspector called him to look into the balloonist complaint. There was no further word from the FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A VINTAGE ACFT ACCUSED OF FLYING TOO CLOSE TO A BALLOON DURING AN ANNUAL BALLOON MEET.

Narrative: FLEW VINTAGE ACFT AROUND BALLOONS IN BALLOON FESTIVAL. KEPT A MINIMUM OF 2000 FT SEPARATION, ALL DIRECTIONS. ACCUSED OF FLYING TOO CLOSE AND RECKLESS BY ONE BALLOONIST. DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO TO ALTER A BALLOONIST'S DISTANCE JUDGEMENT! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAS DONE THIS FLYING WITH THE BALLOONS FOR THE LAST 5 YRS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE HAS BEEN A COMPLAINT. HE TRIED TO STAY AT LEAST 2000 FT OR MORE AWAY FROM THE BALLOONS IN ORDER TO NOT ONLY ASSURE CLRNC BUT TO KEEP FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO NOT CAUSE PROP WASH TURB TO THE BALLOON. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE FAA FSDO INSPECTOR CALLED HIM TO LOOK INTO THE BALLOONIST COMPLAINT. THERE WAS NO FURTHER WORD FROM THE FAA.

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.