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Cameron V77 hot air balloon on pleasure flight with 1 passenger. Noted quick disconnect propane fitting leaking. Shut off the tank to disconnect the fitting for warming. Added some heat to maintain altitude and got too close to clouds resulting in being sucked on top by the colder air. Let the balloon cool and descended back through clouds for landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 365310 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199704 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ave |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 1200 agl bound upper : 1200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Balloon |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 365310 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After a fuel tank and passenger change, I was cruising at about 3 KTS below an overcast. I noticed that one of my quick disconnect fuel fittings was leaking propane. I shut off the tank valve and disconnected the fitting to warm it up. My only passenger was a 12 yr old boy who was not much help. I added on some heat to keep from descending while I fixed the propane problem. Of course, I added too much heat. We got too close to the cloud base and were sucked into the clouds. With a little help from my passenger, we got the quick disconnect fittings warmed up and reconnected with no leak. It was sure pretty on top! As you know, clouds are colder than the surrounding air, so a hot air balloon can be sucked up into the clouds. It is wasteful of fuel to vent to descend, so it is better to let archimedi's principle demonstrate that it is still valid.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAMERON V77 HOT AIR BALLOON ON PLEASURE FLT WITH 1 PAX. NOTED QUICK DISCONNECT PROPANE FITTING LEAKING. SHUT OFF THE TANK TO DISCONNECT THE FITTING FOR WARMING. ADDED SOME HEAT TO MAINTAIN ALT AND GOT TOO CLOSE TO CLOUDS RESULTING IN BEING SUCKED ON TOP BY THE COLDER AIR. LET THE BALLOON COOL AND DSNDED BACK THROUGH CLOUDS FOR LNDG.
Narrative: AFTER A FUEL TANK AND PAX CHANGE, I WAS CRUISING AT ABOUT 3 KTS BELOW AN OVCST. I NOTICED THAT ONE OF MY QUICK DISCONNECT FUEL FITTINGS WAS LEAKING PROPANE. I SHUT OFF THE TANK VALVE AND DISCONNECTED THE FITTING TO WARM IT UP. MY ONLY PAX WAS A 12 YR OLD BOY WHO WAS NOT MUCH HELP. I ADDED ON SOME HEAT TO KEEP FROM DSNDING WHILE I FIXED THE PROPANE PROB. OF COURSE, I ADDED TOO MUCH HEAT. WE GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE CLOUD BASE AND WERE SUCKED INTO THE CLOUDS. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY PAX, WE GOT THE QUICK DISCONNECT FITTINGS WARMED UP AND RECONNECTED WITH NO LEAK. IT WAS SURE PRETTY ON TOP! AS YOU KNOW, CLOUDS ARE COLDER THAN THE SURROUNDING AIR, SO A HOT AIR BALLOON CAN BE SUCKED UP INTO THE CLOUDS. IT IS WASTEFUL OF FUEL TO VENT TO DSND, SO IT IS BETTER TO LET ARCHIMEDI'S PRINCIPLE DEMONSTRATE THAT IT IS STILL VALID.
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.