by Robert Willbanks
A scheduled morning charter flight became very tense during the short 30 minutes between liftoff and touchdown. Arriving at Applebees north of Snellville, Georgia, I met three other Georgia Balloon Association pilots to discuss possible launch sights and wind conditions. A PIBAL indicated surface winds to be in the opposite direction from forecast but upper level winds were true to form. Surface winds were about five knots and upper level winds were light and variable.
We chose a soccer field less than one mile from the meeting location and proceeded to inflate our balloons in clear conditions. I was the first balloon off, and because of the low level wind direction, I chose to climb to 1,500 MSL and catch the winds taking me back over a shopping area and into potential landing sites. As I made the climb, I detected that the 150 AGL winds were more rapid than the PIBAL had indicated and there seemed to be some low level fog forming to the North. Because we had a newly rated private pilot in our group, I reached for the mike for a radio check and to tell my crew to advise the remaining balloon to hold. D..., the mobile in the vehicle was not on! By the time the crew discovered the radio and called up for the radio check, the other balloons were launched and making their way up through an increasing mist layer. At 1,500 feet I could see a major development of fog passing under me and obscuring the ground to the North.
Within minutes all of us were separated from ground reference by the layer. What to do!?
After having once made a descent through the mist in Slovenia, I was not looking forward to the next few minutes. I needed to maintain the ground track to the North to compensate for the lower level wind as I would have to pass through it before shooting the landing. I realized that I would be lucky to actually make a landing before being carried out over heavy residential and wooded areas heaped with powerlines. The 1,500 foot winds were less than 4 MPH, and the cloud layer was thickening very rapidly. I had my passengers maintain ground lookout as I waited for what seemed an eternity to get far enough north to start the descent.
While my passengers' eyes peered through the mist to the ground, I was able to tap the VSI and altimeter, and keep the descent rate within the 100 FPM range. As we descended, the ground became more visible and we broke out about 100 feet above the surface. I recognized a hospital parking lot with underground utilities, but I also noted that we were doing about 10 MPH over the ground. This was going to be my only shot at the landing as we were headed back toward the launch field which had a powerline along its border.
My passengers were very helpful and indicated we were over a parkway. Very good news to hear, for I knew there were no powerlines along this cross county connector. I prepared the passengers for a steep approach; I wanted to stick the balloon on the parkway right of way before reaching the traffic lane. As the 105 came in contact with the field, I held the vent line open to stop the balloon and we were down and safe just short of the Westbound lane. Our crew was there in very short order and we started the packup. By now the MIST was down to less than 75 feet and visibility was less than a quarter mile.
My concern turned to the remaining balloons that I could hear but could not see. I left my passengers and one crew person to pack the balloon, while my crew chief and I went to locate the other chase teams and offer assistance if we could. During the hour, the other balloons made several attempts to land, and each was finally successful in easing their way through the MIST to a safe and secure landing spot. We all were very pleased that this fun flight had not ended with injuries. With the exception of a small tear in one balloon on a mail box, everything turned out OK.
We all know that for every incident there are certain circumstance which lead up to the event. During my years of ballooning I have missed many good morning flights because I have adhered to the 3 point rule. When the temp/dewpoint spread is less than 3 degrees F., expect precip. That morning I certainly wish I had not ignored THE RULE. I learned many years ago that although the airport may be reporting clear and the sky may be clear before sunrise, as soon as the sun climbs above the horizon and heats the upper level air, the evaporative heat rise will cause MIST to form. This is particularly true where there is lots of vegetation to provide the extra moisture.
The forecast said the MIST would burn off, but we all knew that the burnoff time was unpredictable. Better to shoot the landing with plenty of pressure than continue to fly and have to make that descent on marginal fuel. The Champagne celebration, under a blue sky, included some kissing of the ground. I for one will go back to the 3 Point Rule.
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