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ZFW controller observes an unverified mode C in vicinity of climbing C550 and initiates altitude change to miss what is reported by flight crew as a balloon.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 507235 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200104 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | LA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw.artcc artcc : zjx.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Citation II S2/Bravo |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 14 controller time certified in position1 : 0.83 |
| ASRS Report | 507235 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 450 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Air Traffic Incident | Inter Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
Aircraft X heading sebound (240 degrees) climbing to FL350. Aircraft was out of FL313 when I issued a descent clearance to FL310 for a target that popped up in its 12 O'clock position 10 mi, mode C indicated climbing out of FL316. This target only stayed on the scope for about 10 seconds -- when it disappeared it showed FL319. I apologized to the aircraft for its sudden descent, but he said that he was glad I did it, because the object just went overhead. He said it was white or silver. Possibly a balloon, he wasn't sure. I reported all information to my supervisor in charge, all tapes and information available was pulled.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZFW CTLR OBSERVES AN UNVERIFIED MODE C IN VICINITY OF CLBING C550 AND INITIATES ALT CHANGE TO MISS WHAT IS RPTED BY FLC AS A BALLOON.
Narrative: ACFT X HDG SEBOUND (240 DEGS) CLBING TO FL350. ACFT WAS OUT OF FL313 WHEN I ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC TO FL310 FOR A TARGET THAT POPPED UP IN ITS 12 O'CLOCK POS 10 MI, MODE C INDICATED CLBING OUT OF FL316. THIS TARGET ONLY STAYED ON THE SCOPE FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS -- WHEN IT DISAPPEARED IT SHOWED FL319. I APOLOGIZED TO THE ACFT FOR ITS SUDDEN DSCNT, BUT HE SAID THAT HE WAS GLAD I DID IT, BECAUSE THE OBJECT JUST WENT OVERHEAD. HE SAID IT WAS WHITE OR SILVER. POSSIBLY A BALLOON, HE WASN'T SURE. I RPTED ALL INFO TO MY SUPVR IN CHARGE, ALL TAPES AND INFO AVAILABLE WAS PULLED.
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.