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Pilot spectator at sports stadium observed 5000 helium filled balloons released under the ILS approach final to the main runway at a tower controlled airport. After calling he tower controller on his cell phone, reporter learned that the tower controller had just noticed the balloons himself, but had no conflicting traffic at that time.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 515368 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200105 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 10 agl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : bdr.tower |
| Operator | Other |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : 101.(33) (e) |
| Flight Phase | cruise other ground : maintenance |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | observation : observer other personnel other |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial technician : powerplant technician : airframe |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 515368 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | controller : local |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other other : ground observer |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : insufficient time none taken : unable other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Airspace Structure ATC Facility |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Was attending professional baseball game. Stadium is located on centerline of runway 29 at bdr and 3NM from airport. Advertising vendor released at least 5000 helium balloons which ascended on center line for active runway (landing 1L). I used my cellular phone to call tower and advise them of balloon launch. The ATC tower could see the balloons (3 NM). No aircraft were landing at that time. Suggest someone contact stadium to have them knowledgeable about such events and aviation impact. State of connecticut limits balloon release to no more than 6. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he was alarmed after calling the tower that they had not been given advance notice of the balloon release since an aircraft could have been on final and flown right into many of the balloons causing possible engine stoppage. He further stated that he was an FAA appointed safety counselor and would be talking to the FSDO safety officer, as well as the sports stadium management, regarding this incident.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT SPECTATOR AT SPORTS STADIUM OBSERVED 5000 HELIUM FILLED BALLOONS RELEASED UNDER THE ILS APCH FINAL TO THE MAIN RWY AT A TWR CONTROLLED ARPT. AFTER CALLING HE TWR CTLR ON HIS CELL PHONE, RPTR LEARNED THAT THE TWR CTLR HAD JUST NOTICED THE BALLOONS HIMSELF, BUT HAD NO CONFLICTING TFC AT THAT TIME.
Narrative: WAS ATTENDING PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME. STADIUM IS LOCATED ON CENTERLINE OF RWY 29 AT BDR AND 3NM FROM ARPT. ADVERTISING VENDOR RELEASED AT LEAST 5000 HELIUM BALLOONS WHICH ASCENDED ON CENTER LINE FOR ACTIVE RWY (LNDG 1L). I USED MY CELLULAR PHONE TO CALL TWR AND ADVISE THEM OF BALLOON LAUNCH. THE ATC TWR COULD SEE THE BALLOONS (3 NM). NO ACFT WERE LNDG AT THAT TIME. SUGGEST SOMEONE CONTACT STADIUM TO HAVE THEM KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT SUCH EVENTS AND AVIATION IMPACT. STATE OF CONNECTICUT LIMITS BALLOON RELEASE TO NO MORE THAN 6. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS ALARMED AFTER CALLING THE TWR THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE BALLOON RELEASE SINCE AN ACFT COULD HAVE BEEN ON FINAL AND FLOWN RIGHT INTO MANY OF THE BALLOONS CAUSING POSSIBLE ENG STOPPAGE. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE WAS AN FAA APPOINTED SAFETY COUNSELOR AND WOULD BE TALKING TO THE FSDO SAFETY OFFICER, AS WELL AS THE SPORTS STADIUM MGMNT, REGARDING THIS INCIDENT.
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.