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Flight crew of an MD11 observed a balloon off their right wing during departure climb through 8300 ft MSL (5840 ft AGL) in foreign airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 477583 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200006 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sbgr.tracon |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 8300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : tncf.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-11 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | departure sid : toni |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Balloon |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 477583 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 1000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Location: sao paulo departure. We departed runway 9L and turned to the 247 degree radial off of bco. We were following the toni departure, climbing through 8300 ft MSL, and were approximately 5 mi from toni intersection. It was my leg (captain) and suddenly noticed something glowing red at approximately our 12:30 O'clock position and either at or slightly below our altitude. I pointed it out to both the first officer and flight engineer and was ready to make a left turn if needed when it went off our right wing. When we went by the object, I noticed it was a hot air balloon that was under 'fire.' the flames were the only thing visible from the initial observation, but as we climbed by it I could see the entire balloon. I don't know if it was manned or not, but it sure could have been disastrous to both us (crew plus passenger) and all of the occupants of the balloon. Our lateral distance from the object couldn't have been more than 1000 ft -- and maybe even less. Nothing was said from either the tower or departure control regarding the balloon's whereabouts. I instructed the first officer to notify departure to relay the position of the balloon to the other airplanes departing gru. I can't imagine being able to see and avoid these balloons at night if the burners were not lit. I have no clue as to why they are flying on a departure route at night at the same altitude as the numerous airliners leaving gru.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MD11 OBSERVED A BALLOON OFF THEIR R WING DURING DEP CLB THROUGH 8300 FT MSL (5840 FT AGL) IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE.
Narrative: LOCATION: SAO PAULO DEP. WE DEPARTED RWY 9L AND TURNED TO THE 247 DEG RADIAL OFF OF BCO. WE WERE FOLLOWING THE TONI DEP, CLBING THROUGH 8300 FT MSL, AND WERE APPROX 5 MI FROM TONI INTXN. IT WAS MY LEG (CAPT) AND SUDDENLY NOTICED SOMETHING GLOWING RED AT APPROX OUR 12:30 O'CLOCK POS AND EITHER AT OR SLIGHTLY BELOW OUR ALT. I POINTED IT OUT TO BOTH THE FO AND FE AND WAS READY TO MAKE A L TURN IF NEEDED WHEN IT WENT OFF OUR R WING. WHEN WE WENT BY THE OBJECT, I NOTICED IT WAS A HOT AIR BALLOON THAT WAS UNDER 'FIRE.' THE FLAMES WERE THE ONLY THING VISIBLE FROM THE INITIAL OBSERVATION, BUT AS WE CLBED BY IT I COULD SEE THE ENTIRE BALLOON. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS MANNED OR NOT, BUT IT SURE COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS TO BOTH US (CREW PLUS PAX) AND ALL OF THE OCCUPANTS OF THE BALLOON. OUR LATERAL DISTANCE FROM THE OBJECT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 1000 FT -- AND MAYBE EVEN LESS. NOTHING WAS SAID FROM EITHER THE TWR OR DEP CTL REGARDING THE BALLOON'S WHEREABOUTS. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO NOTIFY DEP TO RELAY THE POS OF THE BALLOON TO THE OTHER AIRPLANES DEPARTING GRU. I CAN'T IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO SEE AND AVOID THESE BALLOONS AT NIGHT IF THE BURNERS WERE NOT LIT. I HAVE NO CLUE AS TO WHY THEY ARE FLYING ON A DEP RTE AT NIGHT AT THE SAME ALT AS THE NUMEROUS AIRLINERS LEAVING GRU.
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.