An observer living in line with the localizer for runway 23 at buf looked up and saw a WX balloon tr...

Attributes
ACN	150007
Time
Date	199006
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4950
ASRS Report	150007
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I am a commercial airline pilot and live in a house that is directly beneath the localizer for runway 23 at the buffalo airport. On 6/fri/90, I was out working in the yard, and as always, I was watching airplanes. I observed an air carrier medium large transport type airplane on approach and then noticed an object fly past the airplane in the opp direction. It was at about 1000'-1500' and headed in the wrong direction (northeast) on the localizer. I grabbed some binoculars and can say west/O much doubt that this was a WX balloon. NWS launches the balloons right at the buf airport, about 3000' off the centerline of runway 23. I question the judgement of launching a WX balloon when wind conditions are such that it will track the wrong way up the localizer and be rising at about the same rate an airplane descends on the localizer. Even though it may be considered a random event, and even though hundreds of balloons are launched each day, and even though the data is valuable to pilots, someone stands a good chance of colliding with a balloon and its data package. You guess the damage. Let's not take potshots at airplanes when the wind conditions are just right to put the balloons right on the localizer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN OBSERVER LIVING IN LINE WITH THE LOC FOR RWY 23 AT BUF LOOKED UP AND SAW A WX BALLOON TRACKING UP THE LOC AS AN ACR MLG WAS MAKING AN APCH.

Narrative: I AM A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PLT AND LIVE IN A HOUSE THAT IS DIRECTLY BENEATH THE LOC FOR RWY 23 AT THE BUFFALO ARPT. ON 6/FRI/90, I WAS OUT WORKING IN THE YARD, AND AS ALWAYS, I WAS WATCHING AIRPLANES. I OBSERVED AN ACR MLG TYPE AIRPLANE ON APCH AND THEN NOTICED AN OBJECT FLY PAST THE AIRPLANE IN THE OPP DIRECTION. IT WAS AT ABOUT 1000'-1500' AND HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION (NE) ON THE LOC. I GRABBED SOME BINOCULARS AND CAN SAY W/O MUCH DOUBT THAT THIS WAS A WX BALLOON. NWS LAUNCHES THE BALLOONS RIGHT AT THE BUF ARPT, ABOUT 3000' OFF THE CTRLINE OF RWY 23. I QUESTION THE JUDGEMENT OF LAUNCHING A WX BALLOON WHEN WIND CONDITIONS ARE SUCH THAT IT WILL TRACK THE WRONG WAY UP THE LOC AND BE RISING AT ABOUT THE SAME RATE AN AIRPLANE DSNDS ON THE LOC. EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE CONSIDERED A RANDOM EVENT, AND EVEN THOUGH HUNDREDS OF BALLOONS ARE LAUNCHED EACH DAY, AND EVEN THOUGH THE DATA IS VALUABLE TO PLTS, SOMEONE STANDS A GOOD CHANCE OF COLLIDING WITH A BALLOON AND ITS DATA PACKAGE. YOU GUESS THE DAMAGE. LET'S NOT TAKE POTSHOTS AT AIRPLANES WHEN THE WIND CONDITIONS ARE JUST RIGHT TO PUT THE BALLOONS RIGHT ON THE LOC.

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.

An observer living in line with the localizer for runway 23 at buf looked up and saw a WX balloon tracking up the localizer as an air carrier medium large transport was making an approach.