Manned balloon landed on a road to avoid flying over fog.

Attributes
ACN	95802
Time
Date	198810
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ca72
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 72 flight time total : 1928
ASRS Report	95802
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Fog conditions occurred in early morning presunrise. I went to launch site (which is surrounded and limits my long distance vision). I sent my crew to de-ice in 3 direction to report by radio the current conditions. As sunrise progressed the fog conditions began to break and clear at 8:30 am I launched (when my ground crew returned with favorable reports) and immediately landed at my nearest spot. My flight was around 500' AGL. I had clear area of approximately 1/2 mi around my balloon and the ceiling conditions were clear. I realize that as my crew reported to me by radio that conditions were favorable, and that during their time of return and our inflation, conditions changed rapidly. My corrective action was to land on a vineyard road and I did not fly in any fog-laden areas. My entire flight was over vineyards and my approach and landing were well executed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MANNED BALLOON LANDED ON A ROAD TO AVOID FLYING OVER FOG.

Narrative: FOG CONDITIONS OCCURRED IN EARLY MORNING PRESUNRISE. I WENT TO LAUNCH SITE (WHICH IS SURROUNDED AND LIMITS MY LONG DISTANCE VISION). I SENT MY CREW TO DE-ICE IN 3 DIRECTION TO RPT BY RADIO THE CURRENT CONDITIONS. AS SUNRISE PROGRESSED THE FOG CONDITIONS BEGAN TO BREAK AND CLEAR AT 8:30 AM I LAUNCHED (WHEN MY GND CREW RETURNED WITH FAVORABLE RPTS) AND IMMEDIATELY LANDED AT MY NEAREST SPOT. MY FLT WAS AROUND 500' AGL. I HAD CLEAR AREA OF APPROX 1/2 MI AROUND MY BALLOON AND THE CEILING CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. I REALIZE THAT AS MY CREW RPTED TO ME BY RADIO THAT CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE, AND THAT DURING THEIR TIME OF RETURN AND OUR INFLATION, CONDITIONS CHANGED RAPIDLY. MY CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TO LAND ON A VINEYARD ROAD AND I DID NOT FLY IN ANY FOG-LADEN AREAS. MY ENTIRE FLT WAS OVER VINEYARDS AND MY APCH AND LNDG WERE WELL EXECUTED.

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