Narrative:

On about 3 mi final to runway 27 at esc, an small aircraft reported on downwind to runway 36. Since we had no visual with the small aircraft, we continued the straight-in approach to runway 27, believing we had plenty of time to land before the small aircraft was anywhere close to landing. He reported turning base leg, and as we were on very short final, I finally saw the small aircraft. He was on very short final also, apparently going around. I never saw a landing light on, which would have helped out tremendously. In a telephone conversation with the small aircraft pilot later, he mentioned that he had me in sight the whole time. Why he didn't mention that at the time, or extend his pattern when it became obvious when we did not have a visual on him, or at the very least shown a landing light is beyond me. He further indicated no willingness, even as a regional 'safety counselor,' to teach his students to turn on some lights when air carrier aircraft, flying at much higher speeds, are in the area. I would also advise air carrier crews to use extra vigilance in uncontrolled airports, as GA aircraft are usually very difficult to spot, and to fly a complete traffic pattern when in doubt as to the location of other aircraft. Seeing the small aircraft so close to us, I was about to execute a go around. However, the small aircraft appeared to be doing so already, and the same action on our part would probably have put us at risk of collision, so I elected to proceed with a normal landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNCTLED ARPT, NIGHT OP, MULTIPLE RWY OP INTERSECTING RWYS, SMA FORCED TO GAR MY SMT LNDG ON OTHER RWY.

Narrative: ON ABOUT 3 MI FINAL TO RWY 27 AT ESC, AN SMA RPTED ON DOWNWIND TO RWY 36. SINCE WE HAD NO VISUAL WITH THE SMA, WE CONTINUED THE STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO RWY 27, BELIEVING WE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO LAND BEFORE THE SMA WAS ANYWHERE CLOSE TO LNDG. HE RPTED TURNING BASE LEG, AND AS WE WERE ON VERY SHORT FINAL, I FINALLY SAW THE SMA. HE WAS ON VERY SHORT FINAL ALSO, APPARENTLY GOING AROUND. I NEVER SAW A LNDG LIGHT ON, WHICH WOULD HAVE HELPED OUT TREMENDOUSLY. IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE SMA PLT LATER, HE MENTIONED THAT HE HAD ME IN SIGHT THE WHOLE TIME. WHY HE DIDN'T MENTION THAT AT THE TIME, OR EXTEND HIS PATTERN WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS WHEN WE DID NOT HAVE A VISUAL ON HIM, OR AT THE VERY LEAST SHOWN A LNDG LIGHT IS BEYOND ME. HE FURTHER INDICATED NO WILLINGNESS, EVEN AS A REGIONAL 'SAFETY COUNSELOR,' TO TEACH HIS STUDENTS TO TURN ON SOME LIGHTS WHEN ACR ACFT, FLYING AT MUCH HIGHER SPDS, ARE IN THE AREA. I WOULD ALSO ADVISE ACR CREWS TO USE EXTRA VIGILANCE IN UNCTLED ARPTS, AS GA ACFT ARE USUALLY VERY DIFFICULT TO SPOT, AND TO FLY A COMPLETE TFC PATTERN WHEN IN DOUBT AS TO THE LOCATION OF OTHER ACFT. SEEING THE SMA SO CLOSE TO US, I WAS ABOUT TO EXECUTE A GAR. HOWEVER, THE SMA APPEARED TO BE DOING SO ALREADY, AND THE SAME ACTION ON OUR PART WOULD PROBABLY HAVE PUT US AT RISK OF COLLISION, SO I ELECTED TO PROCEED WITH A NORMAL LNDG.

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.