Narrative:

VFR departure on an IFR flight plan from cgx. After takeoff, on climb out at approximately 1500 ft MSL, I looked inside for a moment (1 second). I forget why, to go to departure frequency maybe. Upon looking back outside, I saw a cluster of multicolored balloons go by, with a small black object slung underneath, just above my altitude and slightly to the right. It was close enough that I was glad that I was in a climb because the tail was low and missed the object. As I remember, the balloons were white and blue. The blue balloons were on top of the cluster, the white were beneath. There were probably 10 standard party balloons in this cluster. The object was black, rectangular, and maybe 6' X 6' X 4' in size. As I said, it went by pretty close, so I got a pretty good look at it. I advised the controller that I had passed 'a balloon' and recieved a 'roger.' I was then handed off to another controller. Feeling that maybe my incident description didn't fully explain the danger, I informed my new controller that I had passed a cluster of balloons with something slung underneath which could be anything, at least something to be ingested by an engine and potentially cause major damage. While I certainly can't fairly assume that chicago center didn't heed my warning, on the busy frequency I didn't get any feedback that anything was done about it. I was kept at 10,000 ft for quite some time (no complaints, it's normal) and the frequency wasn't very busy, so if they had wanted any additional information (e.g., color, size, etc.), there was certainly time to inquire. With all the hoopla over increased security, I was surprised that nothing more was made of some UFO near chicago, over lake michigan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A KING AIR PVT PLT RPTS ENCOUNTERING A CLUSTER OF BLUE AND WHITE BALLOONS WITH AN ATTACHMENT SHORTLY AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 18 AT MEIGS FIELD, CGX, IL.

Narrative: VFR DEP ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM CGX. AFTER TKOF, ON CLBOUT AT APPROX 1500 FT MSL, I LOOKED INSIDE FOR A MOMENT (1 SECOND). I FORGET WHY, TO GO TO DEP FREQ MAYBE. UPON LOOKING BACK OUTSIDE, I SAW A CLUSTER OF MULTICOLORED BALLOONS GO BY, WITH A SMALL BLACK OBJECT SLUNG UNDERNEATH, JUST ABOVE MY ALT AND SLIGHTLY TO THE R. IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT I WAS GLAD THAT I WAS IN A CLB BECAUSE THE TAIL WAS LOW AND MISSED THE OBJECT. AS I REMEMBER, THE BALLOONS WERE WHITE AND BLUE. THE BLUE BALLOONS WERE ON TOP OF THE CLUSTER, THE WHITE WERE BENEATH. THERE WERE PROBABLY 10 STANDARD PARTY BALLOONS IN THIS CLUSTER. THE OBJECT WAS BLACK, RECTANGULAR, AND MAYBE 6' X 6' X 4' IN SIZE. AS I SAID, IT WENT BY PRETTY CLOSE, SO I GOT A PRETTY GOOD LOOK AT IT. I ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT I HAD PASSED 'A BALLOON' AND RECIEVED A 'ROGER.' I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CONTROLLER. FEELING THAT MAYBE MY INCIDENT DESCRIPTION DIDN'T FULLY EXPLAIN THE DANGER, I INFORMED MY NEW CONTROLLER THAT I HAD PASSED A CLUSTER OF BALLOONS WITH SOMETHING SLUNG UNDERNEATH WHICH COULD BE ANYTHING, AT LEAST SOMETHING TO BE INGESTED BY AN ENGINE AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE. WHILE I CERTAINLY CAN'T FAIRLY ASSUME THAT CHICAGO CENTER DIDN'T HEED MY WARNING, ON THE BUSY FREQUENCY I DIDN'T GET ANY FEEDBACK THAT ANYTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT. I WAS KEPT AT 10,000 FT FOR QUITE SOME TIME (NO COMPLAINTS, IT'S NORMAL) AND THE FREQUENCY WASN'T VERY BUSY, SO IF THEY HAD WANTED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (E.G., COLOR, SIZE, ETC.), THERE WAS CERTAINLY TIME TO INQUIRE. WITH ALL THE HOOPLA OVER INCREASED SECURITY, I WAS SURPRISED THAT NOTHING MORE WAS MADE OF SOME UFO NEAR CHICAGO, OVER LAKE MICHIGAN.

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.