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Balloon pilot runs into devious low level winds that drift him towards the airport at lns, PA. No operable radio or phone, he enters the class D without clearance. Lands as soon as possible.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 370920 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199706 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lns |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 100 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : lns |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Balloon |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 370920 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : observer other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
WX reports for jun/xx/97 called for light and variable at 3 KTS. Launched balloon at XA30, sunset was XB35. Flight path first 40 mins of flight was south and west of airport by a good margin. Then for some reason winds changed. FSS did not forecast. The flight path is now taking the balloon over populated lancaster toward airport. On trying to reach tower, aircraft radio would not work. Called ground crew and told them to find a pay phone and call tower for me. Unfortunately they did not. Now it is sunset, I'm flying at treetop level in a balloon with 10 passenger at 12-15 KTS. My main concern was to get on the ground safely as soon as possible. I was able to land approximately 10 mins after sunset with no injuries. After landing, I found a phone and called tower to explain the situation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BALLOON PLT RUNS INTO DEVIOUS LOW LEVEL WINDS THAT DRIFT HIM TOWARDS THE ARPT AT LNS, PA. NO OPERABLE RADIO OR PHONE, HE ENTERS THE CLASS D WITHOUT CLRNC. LANDS ASAP.
Narrative: WX RPTS FOR JUN/XX/97 CALLED FOR LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT 3 KTS. LAUNCHED BALLOON AT XA30, SUNSET WAS XB35. FLT PATH FIRST 40 MINS OF FLT WAS S AND W OF ARPT BY A GOOD MARGIN. THEN FOR SOME REASON WINDS CHANGED. FSS DID NOT FORECAST. THE FLT PATH IS NOW TAKING THE BALLOON OVER POPULATED LANCASTER TOWARD ARPT. ON TRYING TO REACH TWR, ACFT RADIO WOULD NOT WORK. CALLED GND CREW AND TOLD THEM TO FIND A PAY PHONE AND CALL TWR FOR ME. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DID NOT. NOW IT IS SUNSET, I'M FLYING AT TREETOP LEVEL IN A BALLOON WITH 10 PAX AT 12-15 KTS. MY MAIN CONCERN WAS TO GET ON THE GND SAFELY ASAP. I WAS ABLE TO LAND APPROX 10 MINS AFTER SUNSET WITH NO INJURIES. AFTER LNDG, I FOUND A PHONE AND CALLED TWR TO EXPLAIN THE SIT.
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.