Aircraft position lights inoperative during a dawn operation. Violation of far 91 pt 209.

Attributes
ACN	276470
Time
Date	199407
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : las
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	276470
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the morning of jul/xx/94 I checked out my aircraft at smf for a return flight to modesto, ca, while it was still twilight. All system appeared normal, including the light system. While taxiing approximately 2 mi to the active, I was informed by the tower they could not see my position lights. I stated to the tower I would recycle the switch and asked if they could now see the lights! The answer was negative but somewhat unclr with something about being too light to see clearly. Since it was quite light by now, I saw no reason for concern and informed the tower I would have modesto check it out when I landed. Just before this flight into sacramento I had some hard wiring work done on my radio installing a new amplifier, and I suspected there may be some connection in the light system malfunction, particularly in view of intact fuses. My trip to modesto was uneventful and the plane is in the hands of avionics at this writing for a chkout.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT POS LIGHTS INOP DURING A DAWN OP. VIOLATION OF FAR 91 PT 209.

Narrative: ON THE MORNING OF JUL/XX/94 I CHKED OUT MY ACFT AT SMF FOR A RETURN FLT TO MODESTO, CA, WHILE IT WAS STILL TWILIGHT. ALL SYS APPEARED NORMAL, INCLUDING THE LIGHT SYS. WHILE TAXIING APPROX 2 MI TO THE ACTIVE, I WAS INFORMED BY THE TWR THEY COULD NOT SEE MY POS LIGHTS. I STATED TO THE TWR I WOULD RECYCLE THE SWITCH AND ASKED IF THEY COULD NOW SEE THE LIGHTS! THE ANSWER WAS NEGATIVE BUT SOMEWHAT UNCLR WITH SOMETHING ABOUT BEING TOO LIGHT TO SEE CLRLY. SINCE IT WAS QUITE LIGHT BY NOW, I SAW NO REASON FOR CONCERN AND INFORMED THE TWR I WOULD HAVE MODESTO CHK IT OUT WHEN I LANDED. JUST BEFORE THIS FLT INTO SACRAMENTO I HAD SOME HARD WIRING WORK DONE ON MY RADIO INSTALLING A NEW AMPLIFIER, AND I SUSPECTED THERE MAY BE SOME CONNECTION IN THE LIGHT SYS MALFUNCTION, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF INTACT FUSES. MY TRIP TO MODESTO WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE PLANE IS IN THE HANDS OF AVIONICS AT THIS WRITING FOR A CHKOUT.

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.