Bright street lights parallel approach course, but 2 pt 3 miles from runway.

Attributes
ACN	106572
Time
Date	198903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 3ck
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 890 msl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 240 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	106572
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

While flying as safety pilot during a simulated instrument approach to lake in the hills airport (3CK), a well-lit street was observed just west of cary, il, in a subdivision. This street is aligned with the approach course, 2.3 NM from the actual runway. Since 3CK uses low intensity runway lights, in low visibility conditions a pilot unfamiliar with 3CK and not xchking with DME or LORAN, might mistake this street for the actual runway, with disastrous results. Suggest note be added to VOR 26 approach plate. Other possible solution would be to add runway strobe lights to 3CK runway 26, to further differentiate it from this nearby street.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BRIGHT STREET LIGHTS PARALLEL APCH COURSE, BUT 2 PT 3 MILES FROM RWY.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING AS SAFETY PLT DURING A SIMULATED INSTRUMENT APCH TO LAKE IN THE HILLS ARPT (3CK), A WELL-LIT STREET WAS OBSERVED JUST W OF CARY, IL, IN A SUBDIVISION. THIS STREET IS ALIGNED WITH THE APCH COURSE, 2.3 NM FROM THE ACTUAL RWY. SINCE 3CK USES LOW INTENSITY RWY LIGHTS, IN LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS A PLT UNFAMILIAR WITH 3CK AND NOT XCHKING WITH DME OR LORAN, MIGHT MISTAKE THIS STREET FOR THE ACTUAL RWY, WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS. SUGGEST NOTE BE ADDED TO VOR 26 APCH PLATE. OTHER POSSIBLE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO ADD RWY STROBE LIGHTS TO 3CK RWY 26, TO FURTHER DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM THIS NEARBY STREET.

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.