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A hot air balloon and an small aircraft had an near midair collision in an uncontrolled airport traffic pattern.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 322343 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199512 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 4g0 |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 4187 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Balloon |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 850 |
| ASRS Report | 322343 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 500 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I obtained preflight WX briefing. Forecast winds were 360 degrees at 6 KTS. I launched from an often used site 1/2 mi east of 4GO and flew south. After 10 mins, the wind changed and took me north. I was aware of the airport and had to also watch a 500 ft tower. The wind became calm. By this time I was in the traffic pattern for 4GO. I climbed to 3000 ft AGL to be above the pattern. Airport traffic was very light and making left traffic. I had an aviation hand held radio. I leave the batteries out to keep them fresh. I did have batteries but decided, due to the light traffic, I wouldn't bother to put them in to check unicom. I eventually drifted west across the northeast end of the runway, all the time watching traffic. Once well clear of the pattern, I began a 500 FPM descent. At about 500 ft above the ground I saw a low wing (probably a piper cherokee 6) on right traffic turning base for final. I had not been checking the right traffic pattern. I do not know if he saw me as I had been high, then dropped down and seemed to be in his blind spot (above and behind). I should have at least tried my radio, been aware of the possibility of right traffic, and used a slower descent.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON AND AN SMA HAD AN NMAC IN AN UNCTLED ARPT TFC PATTERN.
Narrative: I OBTAINED PREFLT WX BRIEFING. FORECAST WINDS WERE 360 DEGS AT 6 KTS. I LAUNCHED FROM AN OFTEN USED SITE 1/2 MI E OF 4GO AND FLEW S. AFTER 10 MINS, THE WIND CHANGED AND TOOK ME N. I WAS AWARE OF THE ARPT AND HAD TO ALSO WATCH A 500 FT TWR. THE WIND BECAME CALM. BY THIS TIME I WAS IN THE TFC PATTERN FOR 4GO. I CLBED TO 3000 FT AGL TO BE ABOVE THE PATTERN. ARPT TFC WAS VERY LIGHT AND MAKING L TFC. I HAD AN AVIATION HAND HELD RADIO. I LEAVE THE BATTERIES OUT TO KEEP THEM FRESH. I DID HAVE BATTERIES BUT DECIDED, DUE TO THE LIGHT TFC, I WOULDN'T BOTHER TO PUT THEM IN TO CHK UNICOM. I EVENTUALLY DRIFTED W ACROSS THE NE END OF THE RWY, ALL THE TIME WATCHING TFC. ONCE WELL CLR OF THE PATTERN, I BEGAN A 500 FPM DSCNT. AT ABOUT 500 FT ABOVE THE GND I SAW A LOW WING (PROBABLY A PIPER CHEROKEE 6) ON R TFC TURNING BASE FOR FINAL. I HAD NOT BEEN CHKING THE R TFC PATTERN. I DO NOT KNOW IF HE SAW ME AS I HAD BEEN HIGH, THEN DROPPED DOWN AND SEEMED TO BE IN HIS BLIND SPOT (ABOVE AND BEHIND). I SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST TRIED MY RADIO, BEEN AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF R TFC, AND USED A SLOWER DSCNT.
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.