Approach control midnight operations are moved to tower where there is no MSAW audio alarm.

Attributes
ACN	225939
Time
Date	199211
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : geg
State Reference	WA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	225939
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

5 aircraft with MSAW alert with descending aircraft in normal descent above MVA or on GS. There is an aural alarm in TRACON but not in the tower for mid shifts. This situation has been in practice for over a yr. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that this problem may be rectified very shortly. He said that a audio line and speaker will be installed in the tower to indicate MSAW alarms. They only have 1 person working the midnight shift, and the TRACON operation is moved to the tower. A BRITE radar is used for approach control functions. The MSAW alarm will flash on the radar, but since the controller is also responsible to look out the tower window, he may not be watching the BRITE as closely as a TRACON controller. There have been no incidents reported. Reporter will let ASRS know if there is a delay in the installation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTL MIDNIGHT OPS ARE MOVED TO TWR WHERE THERE IS NO MSAW AUDIO ALARM.

Narrative: 5 ACFT WITH MSAW ALERT WITH DSNDING ACFT IN NORMAL DSCNT ABOVE MVA OR ON GS. THERE IS AN AURAL ALARM IN TRACON BUT NOT IN THE TWR FOR MID SHIFTS. THIS SITUATION HAS BEEN IN PRACTICE FOR OVER A YR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY BE RECTIFIED VERY SHORTLY. HE SAID THAT A AUDIO LINE AND SPEAKER WILL BE INSTALLED IN THE TWR TO INDICATE MSAW ALARMS. THEY ONLY HAVE 1 PERSON WORKING THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT, AND THE TRACON OP IS MOVED TO THE TWR. A BRITE RADAR IS USED FOR APCH CTL FUNCTIONS. THE MSAW ALARM WILL FLASH ON THE RADAR, BUT SINCE THE CTLR IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE TO LOOK OUT THE TWR WINDOW, HE MAY NOT BE WATCHING THE BRITE AS CLOSELY AS A TRACON CTLR. THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS RPTED. RPTR WILL LET ASRS KNOW IF THERE IS A DELAY IN THE INSTALLATION.

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.