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The pilot of a hot air balloon flies over populated areas while looking for a place to set his craft down after missing the cul-de-sac that was his first intended landing place near I68, oh.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 528446 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200110 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : i68.airport |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | agl single value : 50 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Balloon |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| 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 : 1500 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 528446 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft Airspace Structure |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
While attempting a landing of a hot air balloon (not at an airport), approach was made to a cul-de-sac of a subdivision. Winds changed slightly, enough to cause a missed approach. Second attempt, while flying less than 100 ft into another subdivision, failed. Another site was being evaluated (still flying less than 100 ft AGL) and I flew over a subdivision and road and farm at low altitudes while trying to evaluate alternate sites. I noticed another aircraft circling my aircraft, which caused alarm to me. I felt the other aircraft was observing my flight and low flight altitude while I was searching for a suitable landing field. I feel that I was not breaking any FARS since I was landing and my total flight time at 100 ft or below was for less than 5 mins. Another aircraft (C172 or C152) circling about me caused me to think what the other pilot might have been thinking. Contributing factors: anxiety. Corrective actions: attempted to increase altitude while looking for the final landing site. Changing altitude caused me to 'lose my flight line.' balloons travel with winds and can only steer by changing altitude. By complying with minimum altitude requirements, I changed track and missed my landing site. Fourth attempt was successful.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE PLT OF A HOT AIR BALLOON FLIES OVER POPULATED AREAS WHILE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO SET HIS CRAFT DOWN AFTER MISSING THE CUL-DE-SAC THAT WAS HIS FIRST INTENDED LNDG PLACE NEAR I68, OH.
Narrative: WHILE ATTEMPTING A LNDG OF A HOT AIR BALLOON (NOT AT AN ARPT), APCH WAS MADE TO A CUL-DE-SAC OF A SUBDIVISION. WINDS CHANGED SLIGHTLY, ENOUGH TO CAUSE A MISSED APCH. SECOND ATTEMPT, WHILE FLYING LESS THAN 100 FT INTO ANOTHER SUBDIVISION, FAILED. ANOTHER SITE WAS BEING EVALUATED (STILL FLYING LESS THAN 100 FT AGL) AND I FLEW OVER A SUBDIVISION AND ROAD AND FARM AT LOW ALTS WHILE TRYING TO EVALUATE ALTERNATE SITES. I NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT CIRCLING MY ACFT, WHICH CAUSED ALARM TO ME. I FELT THE OTHER ACFT WAS OBSERVING MY FLT AND LOW FLT ALT WHILE I WAS SEARCHING FOR A SUITABLE LNDG FIELD. I FEEL THAT I WAS NOT BREAKING ANY FARS SINCE I WAS LNDG AND MY TOTAL FLT TIME AT 100 FT OR BELOW WAS FOR LESS THAN 5 MINS. ANOTHER ACFT (C172 OR C152) CIRCLING ABOUT ME CAUSED ME TO THINK WHAT THE OTHER PLT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THINKING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ANXIETY. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE ALT WHILE LOOKING FOR THE FINAL LNDG SITE. CHANGING ALT CAUSED ME TO 'LOSE MY FLT LINE.' BALLOONS TRAVEL WITH WINDS AND CAN ONLY STEER BY CHANGING ALT. BY COMPLYING WITH MINIMUM ALT REQUIREMENTS, I CHANGED TRACK AND MISSED MY LNDG SITE. FOURTH ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL.
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.