Small aircraft pilot on approach after sunset with aircraft lighting.

Attributes
ACN	175428
Time
Date	199104
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : srq
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : srq tracon : bos
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	175428
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As I approached sarasota-bradenton airport at dusk. There were thunderstorms in the local area, quite scattered. I flew at 1200' under the tpa TCA. Before calling srq approach, I heard srq report it was VFR at 2500' and good visibility. Because the thunderstorms were scattered, I decided to continue into srq. I was cleared into the srq arsa and had been handed off to the tower. I wanted to land before official sunset and instead of flying around the lower cloud bases, to save time I descended at 1 point to 700', momentarily. I was not over a congested area, still on the outskirts of town. Srw tower cleared me onto downwind for runway 14, and I was approximately 3 mi from the airport when the beacon went on indicating sunset. As my aircraft has no lights, I have been concerned that this was a somewhat marginal operation on my part.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON APCH AFTER SUNSET WITH ACFT LIGHTING.

Narrative: AS I APCHED SARASOTA-BRADENTON ARPT AT DUSK. THERE WERE TSTMS IN THE LCL AREA, QUITE SCATTERED. I FLEW AT 1200' UNDER THE TPA TCA. BEFORE CALLING SRQ APCH, I HEARD SRQ RPT IT WAS VFR AT 2500' AND GOOD VISIBILITY. BECAUSE THE TSTMS WERE SCATTERED, I DECIDED TO CONTINUE INTO SRQ. I WAS CLRED INTO THE SRQ ARSA AND HAD BEEN HANDED OFF TO THE TWR. I WANTED TO LAND BEFORE OFFICIAL SUNSET AND INSTEAD OF FLYING AROUND THE LOWER CLOUD BASES, TO SAVE TIME I DSNDED AT 1 POINT TO 700', MOMENTARILY. I WAS NOT OVER A CONGESTED AREA, STILL ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN. SRW TWR CLRED ME ONTO DOWNWIND FOR RWY 14, AND I WAS APPROX 3 MI FROM THE ARPT WHEN THE BEACON WENT ON INDICATING SUNSET. AS MY ACFT HAS NO LIGHTS, I HAVE BEEN CONCERNED THAT THIS WAS A SOMEWHAT MARGINAL OPERATION ON MY PART.

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.