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VFR in IMC. Pilot of a balloon got caught airborne when the fog formed under his aircraft blocking a safe return in VFR conditions for a landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 481957 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200008 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Fog |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Balloon |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| 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 : 2250 flight time type : 2250 |
| ASRS Report | 481957 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Called for WX at FSS approximately XA30. Briefing made no mention of mist or fog. Arrived at launch site approximately XB30. Conditions were light mist. Launched balloon approximately XC00. Climbed to approximately 1200 ft AGL as a blanket of fog filled in below me. Chose to wait out the fog thinking it would burn off. After an extended period of time, I decided to make my way down through the fog, at approximately 150 FPM, until I had visual contact with surface (approximately 75 ft AGL). I quickly found an appropriate landing site. This could have been a disastrous flight, as there may have been power lines, water towers, antennae, or other hazards above the fog line. As I have done most of my flying in the southwest, and very rarely encounter this type of WX, I thought the fog would burn off quickly as the sun acted on it. However, the fog blanket appeared to become more dense and did not burn off until after XC15. I have developed a very healthy respect for mist and fog conditions.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: VFR IN IMC. PLT OF A BALLOON GOT CAUGHT AIRBORNE WHEN THE FOG FORMED UNDER HIS ACFT BLOCKING A SAFE RETURN IN VFR CONDITIONS FOR A LNDG.
Narrative: CALLED FOR WX AT FSS APPROX XA30. BRIEFING MADE NO MENTION OF MIST OR FOG. ARRIVED AT LAUNCH SITE APPROX XB30. CONDITIONS WERE LIGHT MIST. LAUNCHED BALLOON APPROX XC00. CLBED TO APPROX 1200 FT AGL AS A BLANKET OF FOG FILLED IN BELOW ME. CHOSE TO WAIT OUT THE FOG THINKING IT WOULD BURN OFF. AFTER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, I DECIDED TO MAKE MY WAY DOWN THROUGH THE FOG, AT APPROX 150 FPM, UNTIL I HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH SURFACE (APPROX 75 FT AGL). I QUICKLY FOUND AN APPROPRIATE LNDG SITE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTROUS FLT, AS THERE MAY HAVE BEEN PWR LINES, WATER TWRS, ANTENNAE, OR OTHER HAZARDS ABOVE THE FOG LINE. AS I HAVE DONE MOST OF MY FLYING IN THE SW, AND VERY RARELY ENCOUNTER THIS TYPE OF WX, I THOUGHT THE FOG WOULD BURN OFF QUICKLY AS THE SUN ACTED ON IT. HOWEVER, THE FOG BLANKET APPEARED TO BECOME MORE DENSE AND DID NOT BURN OFF UNTIL AFTER XC15. I HAVE DEVELOPED A VERY HEALTHY RESPECT FOR MIST AND FOG CONDITIONS.
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.