Narrative:

Situation occurred after takeoff from fll at night. Departure was to the east over water and no horizon was visible. Flight visibility was limited in that direction due to haze. After takeoff there were numerous lights ahead including 1 large object with many lights, definition was vague and no shade was discernable. Flight profile was normal through 1000 ft and flap retraction was initiated. I became increasingly concerned about the large lighted object and reduced rate of climb, it appeared to be above us. At this point I was convinced it was an in-flight hazard but had no idea what it was, possibly a blimp (?). My attitude change resulted in a descent which continued to near 500 ft. A GPWS warning was received and a climb was initiated. At about this time, our lighted object was recognized, with great relief, as a cruise ship. Departure asked if we had problems and we advised them that we were climbing and explained briefly what had happened. Flight proceeded without further complications. I made some bad decisions resulting from the confusing and puzzling visual picture. I allowed myself to become momentarily disoriented while over-concentrating on the visual contact. A better avoidance technique would have been to turn rather than change nose attitude. I think I did not do that because of the number of other lights ahead, also probably surface craft, and no hazard-free route was obvious to me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG CREW IN NIGHT OP, OVER WATER, BECAME SLIGHTLY DISORIENTED AND HAD A GPWS WARNING.

Narrative: SITUATION OCCURRED AFTER TKOF FROM FLL AT NIGHT. DEP WAS TO THE E OVER WATER AND NO HORIZON WAS VISIBLE. FLT VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED IN THAT DIRECTION DUE TO HAZE. AFTER TKOF THERE WERE NUMEROUS LIGHTS AHEAD INCLUDING 1 LARGE OBJECT WITH MANY LIGHTS, DEFINITION WAS VAGUE AND NO SHADE WAS DISCERNABLE. FLT PROFILE WAS NORMAL THROUGH 1000 FT AND FLAP RETRACTION WAS INITIATED. I BECAME INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LARGE LIGHTED OBJECT AND REDUCED RATE OF CLB, IT APPEARED TO BE ABOVE US. AT THIS POINT I WAS CONVINCED IT WAS AN INFLT HAZARD BUT HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS, POSSIBLY A BLIMP (?). MY ATTITUDE CHANGE RESULTED IN A DSCNT WHICH CONTINUED TO NEAR 500 FT. A GPWS WARNING WAS RECEIVED AND A CLB WAS INITIATED. AT ABOUT THIS TIME, OUR LIGHTED OBJECT WAS RECOGNIZED, WITH GREAT RELIEF, AS A CRUISE SHIP. DEP ASKED IF WE HAD PROBLEMS AND WE ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE CLBING AND EXPLAINED BRIEFLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED. FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT FURTHER COMPLICATIONS. I MADE SOME BAD DECISIONS RESULTING FROM THE CONFUSING AND PUZZLING VISUAL PICTURE. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME MOMENTARILY DISORIENTED WHILE OVER-CONCENTRATING ON THE VISUAL CONTACT. A BETTER AVOIDANCE TECHNIQUE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO TURN RATHER THAN CHANGE NOSE ATTITUDE. I THINK I DID NOT DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF OTHER LIGHTS AHEAD, ALSO PROBABLY SURFACE CRAFT, AND NO HAZARD-FREE RTE WAS OBVIOUS TO ME.

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.