<< >> NASA ASRS Report 259030, December 1993

Pilot of an small aircraft sel norad aircraft landed on a closed runway against a red tower signal light.

Attributes
ACN	259030
Time
Date	199312
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cdw
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 7
ASRS Report	259030
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe incursion : landing without clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In making a VFR flight from morristown, nj, to simsbury, ct, for maintenance, a total electrical failure was experienced in-flight. The battery quickly drained. I elected to return to caldwell to address the problem. There was no navigation or communication or flaps. The gear was pumped down and a landing made without difficulty, there being no other aircraft in the vicinity and the visibility excellent. Evidently, the tower gave me a red light, runway 4 being closed. I was too busy with the gear in a high wing aircraft to see the red light although I looked for a light on downwind and saw none. I was obviously unable to declare an emergency. In no sense was safety compromised and if the failure happened again I would react in the same manner. In my return to caldwell I descended below the 3000 ft TCA floor for the area. However, without mode C my aircraft must have been a problem for ny TRACON. I saw no aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL NORAD ACFT LANDED ON A CLOSED RWY AGAINST A RED TWR SIGNAL LIGHT.

Narrative: IN MAKING A VFR FLT FROM MORRISTOWN, NJ, TO SIMSBURY, CT, FOR MAINT, A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED INFLT. THE BATTERY QUICKLY DRAINED. I ELECTED TO RETURN TO CALDWELL TO ADDRESS THE PROB. THERE WAS NO NAV OR COM OR FLAPS. THE GEAR WAS PUMPED DOWN AND A LNDG MADE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY, THERE BEING NO OTHER ACFT IN THE VICINITY AND THE VISIBILITY EXCELLENT. EVIDENTLY, THE TWR GAVE ME A RED LIGHT, RWY 4 BEING CLOSED. I WAS TOO BUSY WITH THE GEAR IN A HIGH WING ACFT TO SEE THE RED LIGHT ALTHOUGH I LOOKED FOR A LIGHT ON DOWNWIND AND SAW NONE. I WAS OBVIOUSLY UNABLE TO DECLARE AN EMER. IN NO SENSE WAS SAFETY COMPROMISED AND IF THE FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN I WOULD REACT IN THE SAME MANNER. IN MY RETURN TO CALDWELL I DSNDED BELOW THE 3000 FT TCA FLOOR FOR THE AREA. HOWEVER, WITHOUT MODE C MY ACFT MUST HAVE BEEN A PROB FOR NY TRACON. I SAW NO ACFT.

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.