Low level civil flight in hot air balloon.

Attributes
ACN	289593
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mwo
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	289593
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On an am dual flight we launched from a farm east of middletown, oh. Surface winds at launch were approximately 090 degrees at 5 KTS, but using a pibal (toy helium filled balloon) winds at 700 ft AGL were approximately 010 degrees at 7 KTS. We intended to use these winds (north to south) and track to the south over a rural area south and east of middletown. Shortly after takeoff, the ceiling lowered to about 600 ft AGL preventing us from climbing into the wind to the south. As a result, we were forced to remain VFR (class G airspace, 1 SM visibility, clear of clouds) and fly at 400-500 ft AGL over a congested area in violation of far 91.119B. Most of the variation in wind direction (ability to steer for a hot air balloon) occurs at low altitudes. There is a proposal to lower the minimum safe altitudes for balloons to take advantage of these steering winds. Availability to fly at lower altitudes would increase hot air balloon safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW LEVEL CIVIL FLT IN HOT AIR BALLOON.

Narrative: ON AN AM DUAL FLT WE LAUNCHED FROM A FARM E OF MIDDLETOWN, OH. SURFACE WINDS AT LAUNCH WERE APPROX 090 DEGS AT 5 KTS, BUT USING A PIBAL (TOY HELIUM FILLED BALLOON) WINDS AT 700 FT AGL WERE APPROX 010 DEGS AT 7 KTS. WE INTENDED TO USE THESE WINDS (N TO S) AND TRACK TO THE S OVER A RURAL AREA S AND E OF MIDDLETOWN. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, THE CEILING LOWERED TO ABOUT 600 FT AGL PREVENTING US FROM CLBING INTO THE WIND TO THE S. AS A RESULT, WE WERE FORCED TO REMAIN VFR (CLASS G AIRSPACE, 1 SM VISIBILITY, CLR OF CLOUDS) AND FLY AT 400-500 FT AGL OVER A CONGESTED AREA IN VIOLATION OF FAR 91.119B. MOST OF THE VARIATION IN WIND DIRECTION (ABILITY TO STEER FOR A HOT AIR BALLOON) OCCURS AT LOW ALTS. THERE IS A PROPOSAL TO LOWER THE MINIMUM SAFE ALTS FOR BALLOONS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE STEERING WINDS. AVAILABILITY TO FLY AT LOWER ALTS WOULD INCREASE HOT AIR BALLOON SAFETY.

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.