Near midair collision with birds.

Attributes
ACN	279251
Time
Date	199407
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yxu
State Reference	ON
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	279251
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	279254
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3 vertical : 2
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We took off from london on radar vectors to join a victor airway. Level at 5000 ft MSL. ATC cleared us to a higher altitude. We both had been inside the cockpit looking for the airway on the map. At the time they gave us the higher altitude, I looked outside and discovered several birds at our 12-12:30. I immediately took control of aircraft, banked hard left and pitched up. Also on our left there was a hot air balloon 4-5 mi. To avoid conflict with this traffic, I elected to continue the roll. ATC did not mention any activity in the vicinity of where the birds were seen except for the hot air balloon which we had seen. No damage was observed to the equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC WITH BIRDS.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF FROM LONDON ON RADAR VECTORS TO JOIN A VICTOR AIRWAY. LEVEL AT 5000 FT MSL. ATC CLRED US TO A HIGHER ALT. WE BOTH HAD BEEN INSIDE THE COCKPIT LOOKING FOR THE AIRWAY ON THE MAP. AT THE TIME THEY GAVE US THE HIGHER ALT, I LOOKED OUTSIDE AND DISCOVERED SEVERAL BIRDS AT OUR 12-12:30. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK CTL OF ACFT, BANKED HARD L AND PITCHED UP. ALSO ON OUR L THERE WAS A HOT AIR BALLOON 4-5 MI. TO AVOID CONFLICT WITH THIS TFC, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE ROLL. ATC DID NOT MENTION ANY ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE THE BIRDS WERE SEEN EXCEPT FOR THE HOT AIR BALLOON WHICH WE HAD SEEN. NO DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED TO THE EQUIP.

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.