Narrative:

On approach to abq I was given a vector for a right downwind to runway 26. We had good visibility as we cleared the high broken layer of clouds. Approach asked us to plan a 6 mi turn to runway 26. We were cleared for a visual. To my amazement; what I thought was the aircraft we were following; was a hot air balloon in our flight path. I turned left to give the balloon room. I could not turn much as high terrain is an issue for runway 26. The controller did not like my spacing with the aircraft we were spaced with. He asked us to go around; 'turn right; heading 270 degrees; climb and maintain 10000 ft.' I told the first officer to tell him 'no; we can't turn right; we will hit the balloon.' the first officer accepted the clearance. Why? He has less than 100 hours; felt pressed and did what was normal to do. He just responded. I did not turn right. I asked the first officer to let approach know we could not turn. He did as time permitted. We started our climb. The terrain was never a factor but the balloon was. After we reached 10000 ft approach control turned us west. Approach was sending us back around to runway 26. I had already had the first officer tell him about the hot air balloon. He just did not have the whole picture. The hot air balloon had moved some so we were able to stay close in for right traffic. We landed normally. I called tower and asked what the deal was. He stated he had told approach about the balloon. I told him left traffic would have been better for all. I stated there should be more coordination with these events. This is not a new event for abq. I never should have been on a vector into a known threat to our flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLT CREW ON VISUAL APPROACH TO ABQ REFUSED A VECTOR THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIM CLOSE TO A HOT AIR BALLOON.

Narrative: ON APCH TO ABQ I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR FOR A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 26. WE HAD GOOD VISIBILITY AS WE CLRED THE HIGH BROKEN LAYER OF CLOUDS. APCH ASKED US TO PLAN A 6 MI TURN TO RWY 26. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL. TO MY AMAZEMENT; WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE ACFT WE WERE FOLLOWING; WAS A HOT AIR BALLOON IN OUR FLT PATH. I TURNED L TO GIVE THE BALLOON ROOM. I COULD NOT TURN MUCH AS HIGH TERRAIN IS AN ISSUE FOR RWY 26. THE CTLR DID NOT LIKE MY SPACING WITH THE ACFT WE WERE SPACED WITH. HE ASKED US TO GO AROUND; 'TURN R; HDG 270 DEGS; CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT.' I TOLD THE FO TO TELL HIM 'NO; WE CAN'T TURN R; WE WILL HIT THE BALLOON.' THE FO ACCEPTED THE CLRNC. WHY? HE HAS LESS THAN 100 HRS; FELT PRESSED AND DID WHAT WAS NORMAL TO DO. HE JUST RESPONDED. I DID NOT TURN R. I ASKED THE FO TO LET APCH KNOW WE COULD NOT TURN. HE DID AS TIME PERMITTED. WE STARTED OUR CLB. THE TERRAIN WAS NEVER A FACTOR BUT THE BALLOON WAS. AFTER WE REACHED 10000 FT APCH CTL TURNED US W. APCH WAS SENDING US BACK AROUND TO RWY 26. I HAD ALREADY HAD THE FO TELL HIM ABOUT THE HOT AIR BALLOON. HE JUST DID NOT HAVE THE WHOLE PICTURE. THE HOT AIR BALLOON HAD MOVED SOME SO WE WERE ABLE TO STAY CLOSE IN FOR R TFC. WE LANDED NORMALLY. I CALLED TWR AND ASKED WHAT THE DEAL WAS. HE STATED HE HAD TOLD APCH ABOUT THE BALLOON. I TOLD HIM L TFC WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR ALL. I STATED THERE SHOULD BE MORE COORD WITH THESE EVENTS. THIS IS NOT A NEW EVENT FOR ABQ. I NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON A VECTOR INTO A KNOWN THREAT TO OUR FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.