Traffic survey pilot neglects to turn on navigation lights.

Attributes
ACN	155759
Time
Date	199009
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tpa
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	155759
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During preflight noticed rotating beacon on aircraft inoperative, but navigation lights functioning. Turned off lights for aircraft start and forgot to turn back on prior to taxi. Missed lights on checklist because of distraction by passenger at that point of checklist. Navigation lights discovered not illuminated when brought to my attention by tpa tower. Immediately turned navigation lights on. Flight was operating on approved tpa route for radio station airborne traffic reporting. Tpa tower asked if my lights were lit and I responded, 'negative.' no further comment was made by tpt tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRAFFIC SURVEY PLT NEGLECTS TO TURN ON NAVIGATION LIGHTS.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT NOTICED ROTATING BEACON ON ACFT INOP, BUT NAV LIGHTS FUNCTIONING. TURNED OFF LIGHTS FOR ACFT START AND FORGOT TO TURN BACK ON PRIOR TO TAXI. MISSED LIGHTS ON CHKLIST BECAUSE OF DISTR BY PAX AT THAT POINT OF CHKLIST. NAV LIGHTS DISCOVERED NOT ILLUMINATED WHEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTN BY TPA TWR. IMMEDIATELY TURNED NAV LIGHTS ON. FLT WAS OPERATING ON APPROVED TPA RTE FOR RADIO STATION AIRBORNE TFC RPTING. TPA TWR ASKED IF MY LIGHTS WERE LIT AND I RESPONDED, 'NEGATIVE.' NO FURTHER COMMENT WAS MADE BY TPT TWR.

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