Government helicopter pilot complaint regarding lack of lighting on towers over the city of detroit.

Attributes
ACN	333699
Time
Date	199604
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 1300
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rdu
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	333699
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

No blinking lights on a 500 ft tower. First tower west of livernois, second tower north of schoolcraft. The lights have been out for over 6 months. Det city tower and FSS has been notified on numerous occasions. It's still out as of this date. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the terminal chart shows only 1 of 3 towers. There is 1 'a frame' tower 900 ft which is lit properly. The tower he calls the 1000 ft tower has been there for at least 5 yrs does not appear on the chart. Between these two is another tower about 500 ft which is not lit. 1 tower had proper lighting for a time but has only 1 set of lights about 30-40 ft below the top. Flashing strobes do not blend into the city lights as the stationary red or white lights do. These can sometimes not be seen until one is within 40-50 yds of the obstruction. This is not healthy. The names reporter gives in his narrative are street names. Coordinates for these towers are 42 degrees, 23.3 mins west and 83 degrees, 08.8 mins north. Analyst recommended use of FAA hotline.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOV HELI PLT COMPLAINT REGARDING LACK OF LIGHTING ON TWRS OVER THE CITY OF DETROIT.

Narrative: NO BLINKING LIGHTS ON A 500 FT TWR. FIRST TWR W OF LIVERNOIS, SECOND TWR N OF SCHOOLCRAFT. THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN OUT FOR OVER 6 MONTHS. DET CITY TWR AND FSS HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IT'S STILL OUT AS OF THIS DATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE TERMINAL CHART SHOWS ONLY 1 OF 3 TWRS. THERE IS 1 'A FRAME' TWR 900 FT WHICH IS LIT PROPERLY. THE TWR HE CALLS THE 1000 FT TWR HAS BEEN THERE FOR AT LEAST 5 YRS DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE CHART. BTWN THESE TWO IS ANOTHER TWR ABOUT 500 FT WHICH IS NOT LIT. 1 TWR HAD PROPER LIGHTING FOR A TIME BUT HAS ONLY 1 SET OF LIGHTS ABOUT 30-40 FT BELOW THE TOP. FLASHING STROBES DO NOT BLEND INTO THE CITY LIGHTS AS THE STATIONARY RED OR WHITE LIGHTS DO. THESE CAN SOMETIMES NOT BE SEEN UNTIL ONE IS WITHIN 40-50 YDS OF THE OBSTRUCTION. THIS IS NOT HEALTHY. THE NAMES RPTR GIVES IN HIS NARRATIVE ARE STREET NAMES. COORDINATES FOR THESE TWRS ARE 42 DEGS, 23.3 MINS W AND 83 DEGS, 08.8 MINS N. ANALYST RECOMMENDED USE OF FAA HOTLINE.

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.