3 aerostar balloon pilots launch in marginal WX and are required to wait for the fog to lift (burn o...

Attributes
ACN	596363
Time
Date	200310
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	KS
Altitude	agl single value : 1100
Environment
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level ground other : tkof landing other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise : level landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20.5 flight time total : 125.7 flight time type : 125.7
ASRS Report	596363
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20.4 flight time total : 50.2 flight time type : 50.2
ASRS Report	596364
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

In the morning, I met with other balloon pilots for a morning flight. We had checked the WX forecast and it looked good for a balloon flight. We launched a helium balloon to check actual wind conditions. The helium balloon drifted up to the northeast showing very light wind conditions with a slight right turn around 300 ft. We decided to launch. During the balloon set up, visibility was approximately 1 mi. I took off and climbed slowly out at 50-100 FPM. As I was climbing out, I noticed surface fog in nearby low lying areas. Climbing higher, and looking farther out, I could see intermittent thicker patches of fog. I expected the fog would dissipate as time went on. But it became thicker, before it started to dissipate. I continued to fly until the visibility improved, and landed safely. The problem happened because I decided to launch when the potential for fog was good. I expected it to dissipate quickly as it did the previous morning. In order to prevent a recurring situation, I will closely monitor the temperature, dew point spread, as well as the most recent forecast. Supplemental information from acn 596364: the problem arose when I chose to launch in marginal WX conditions, rather than wait to see if the fog would completely dissipate. The WX was almost identical the previous day and the fog disappeared at sunrise. Supplemental information from acn 596365: the visibility was too poor to attempt to land, not knowing the wind speed on the ground, the size of the field and the possibility of obstacles. I went back above the fog and it seemed to be clearing. Conversation with my crew (attempting to determine either my location or my crew's location), the fog was continuing to dissipate. I saw a clearing in a waterway (grass strip) of a wheat field. The problem arose when I chose to launch so close to sunrise in marginal WX conditions, rather than waiting to see if the fog would 'lift' or 'settle in.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 3 AEROSTAR BALLOON PLTS LAUNCH IN MARGINAL WX AND ARE REQUIRED TO WAIT FOR THE FOG TO LIFT (BURN OFF) PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING A LNDG IN THE VICINITY OF OKS9.

Narrative: IN THE MORNING, I MET WITH OTHER BALLOON PLTS FOR A MORNING FLT. WE HAD CHKED THE WX FORECAST AND IT LOOKED GOOD FOR A BALLOON FLT. WE LAUNCHED A HELIUM BALLOON TO CHK ACTUAL WIND CONDITIONS. THE HELIUM BALLOON DRIFTED UP TO THE NE SHOWING VERY LIGHT WIND CONDITIONS WITH A SLIGHT R TURN AROUND 300 FT. WE DECIDED TO LAUNCH. DURING THE BALLOON SET UP, VISIBILITY WAS APPROX 1 MI. I TOOK OFF AND CLBED SLOWLY OUT AT 50-100 FPM. AS I WAS CLBING OUT, I NOTICED SURFACE FOG IN NEARBY LOW LYING AREAS. CLBING HIGHER, AND LOOKING FARTHER OUT, I COULD SEE INTERMITTENT THICKER PATCHES OF FOG. I EXPECTED THE FOG WOULD DISSIPATE AS TIME WENT ON. BUT IT BECAME THICKER, BEFORE IT STARTED TO DISSIPATE. I CONTINUED TO FLY UNTIL THE VISIBILITY IMPROVED, AND LANDED SAFELY. THE PROB HAPPENED BECAUSE I DECIDED TO LAUNCH WHEN THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG WAS GOOD. I EXPECTED IT TO DISSIPATE QUICKLY AS IT DID THE PREVIOUS MORNING. IN ORDER TO PREVENT A RECURRING SIT, I WILL CLOSELY MONITOR THE TEMP, DEW POINT SPREAD, AS WELL AS THE MOST RECENT FORECAST. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 596364: THE PROB AROSE WHEN I CHOSE TO LAUNCH IN MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS, RATHER THAN WAIT TO SEE IF THE FOG WOULD COMPLETELY DISSIPATE. THE WX WAS ALMOST IDENTICAL THE PREVIOUS DAY AND THE FOG DISAPPEARED AT SUNRISE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 596365: THE VISIBILITY WAS TOO POOR TO ATTEMPT TO LAND, NOT KNOWING THE WIND SPD ON THE GND, THE SIZE OF THE FIELD AND THE POSSIBILITY OF OBSTACLES. I WENT BACK ABOVE THE FOG AND IT SEEMED TO BE CLRING. CONVERSATION WITH MY CREW (ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE EITHER MY LOCATION OR MY CREW'S LOCATION), THE FOG WAS CONTINUING TO DISSIPATE. I SAW A CLRING IN A WATERWAY (GRASS STRIP) OF A WHEAT FIELD. THE PROB AROSE WHEN I CHOSE TO LAUNCH SO CLOSE TO SUNRISE IN MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS, RATHER THAN WAITING TO SEE IF THE FOG WOULD 'LIFT' OR 'SETTLE IN.'

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.

3 aerostar balloon pilots launch in marginal WX and are required to wait for the fog to lift (burn off) prior to attempting a landing in the vicinity of OKS9.