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Pilot of a light twin small transport experienced an near midair collision with a red and silver balloon at 9000 ft during cruise flight. No time for evasive action.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 374272 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199707 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dsm |
| State Reference | IA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : pia |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v8 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 220 |
| ASRS Report | 374272 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 5 vertical : 10 |
Narrative:
At approximately XA30 local, I was cruising at 9000 ft MSL, 34 DME east of the dsm VOR on V8 with an indicated ground speed of 205 KTS. I looked up from my instrument scan and right at my 12 O'clock position was an object that appeared oval shaped and was red in color. My mind thought at first that it was some sort of blimp, but a second later my mind told me no dummy, it can't be an airship. 1 second later the object was close enough to identify. It was a red and silver mylar balloon that passed by my plane about 5 ft high and less than 10 ft horizontal from the cockpit. The WX at the time was cavu. My time to recognize the object, interpret a collision course, and try to take evasive action (which I was too late) was approximately 4 seconds. If my aircraft were a turbojet descending for dsm it could have possibly been ingested. Solution: pilots keep your heads on a swivel, you never know what you're gonna get!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A LIGHT TWIN SMT EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH A RED AND SILVER BALLOON AT 9000 FT DURING CRUISE FLT. NO TIME FOR EVASIVE ACTION.
Narrative: AT APPROX XA30 LCL, I WAS CRUISING AT 9000 FT MSL, 34 DME E OF THE DSM VOR ON V8 WITH AN INDICATED GND SPD OF 205 KTS. I LOOKED UP FROM MY INST SCAN AND RIGHT AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS WAS AN OBJECT THAT APPEARED OVAL SHAPED AND WAS RED IN COLOR. MY MIND THOUGHT AT FIRST THAT IT WAS SOME SORT OF BLIMP, BUT A SECOND LATER MY MIND TOLD ME NO DUMMY, IT CAN'T BE AN AIRSHIP. 1 SECOND LATER THE OBJECT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO IDENT. IT WAS A RED AND SILVER MYLAR BALLOON THAT PASSED BY MY PLANE ABOUT 5 FT HIGH AND LESS THAN 10 FT HORIZ FROM THE COCKPIT. THE WX AT THE TIME WAS CAVU. MY TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE OBJECT, INTERPRET A COLLISION COURSE, AND TRY TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION (WHICH I WAS TOO LATE) WAS APPROX 4 SECONDS. IF MY ACFT WERE A TURBOJET DSNDING FOR DSM IT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN INGESTED. SOLUTION: PLTS KEEP YOUR HEADS ON A SWIVEL, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET!
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.