In a group of balloons; a passenger warns the pilot that another is approaching from below at a rapid rate. Evasive action is unsuccessful and a collision occurs with no damage sustained to either craft.

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Attributes
ACN	664637
Time
Date	200507
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sts.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sts.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sts.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	664637
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewb other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

'The balloon below has the right-of-way' as he cannot see up in most cases. 'Watch where the *&%% you're going.' these are the most important rules when operating balloons in a balloon-congested area. They can conflict; as happened in this case. I had taken off with a northwest drift and had climbed to an altitude where the drift was reversed down to valley. We all; 28 balloons; expected this. My attention was changed from northwest to southeast. I believe that I was in level flight when my passenger; looking down and to what now became the rear; said something like 'he's coming up fast!' I looked back as I opened the burner full and watched a bottom corner of my basket scrape his balloon; very near the top. I climbed away immediately and he descended away. Neither balloon was damaged. Another generally accepted rule is to keep climb/descent rates to less than 200 FPM. The 'other balloon' may have violated this. More than 1 balloon can become a crowd.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN A GROUP OF BALLOONS; A PAX WARNS THE PLT THAT ANOTHER IS APCHING FROM BELOW AT A RAPID RATE. EVASIVE ACTION IS UNSUCCESSFUL AND A COLLISION OCCURS WITH NO DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO EITHER CRAFT.

Narrative: 'THE BALLOON BELOW HAS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY' AS HE CANNOT SEE UP IN MOST CASES. 'WATCH WHERE THE *&%% YOU'RE GOING.' THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT RULES WHEN OPERATING BALLOONS IN A BALLOON-CONGESTED AREA. THEY CAN CONFLICT; AS HAPPENED IN THIS CASE. I HAD TAKEN OFF WITH A NW DRIFT AND HAD CLBED TO AN ALT WHERE THE DRIFT WAS REVERSED DOWN TO VALLEY. WE ALL; 28 BALLOONS; EXPECTED THIS. MY ATTN WAS CHANGED FROM NW TO SE. I BELIEVE THAT I WAS IN LEVEL FLT WHEN MY PAX; LOOKING DOWN AND TO WHAT NOW BECAME THE REAR; SAID SOMETHING LIKE 'HE'S COMING UP FAST!' I LOOKED BACK AS I OPENED THE BURNER FULL AND WATCHED A BOTTOM CORNER OF MY BASKET SCRAPE HIS BALLOON; VERY NEAR THE TOP. I CLBED AWAY IMMEDIATELY AND HE DSNDED AWAY. NEITHER BALLOON WAS DAMAGED. ANOTHER GENERALLY ACCEPTED RULE IS TO KEEP CLB/DSCNT RATES TO LESS THAN 200 FPM. THE 'OTHER BALLOON' MAY HAVE VIOLATED THIS. MORE THAN 1 BALLOON CAN BECOME A CROWD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.