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ELT (emergency locator transmitter) search team in a cessna 172 were exposed to ground searchlights from boats moored near the town over which the search was conducted. It created a blinding view of the team's outside view during the 4- hour search.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 338516 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199606 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : anp |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 1500 agl bound upper : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bwi |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | observation : observer |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 105 flight time type : 8 |
| ASRS Report | 338516 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I was a member of an ELT search for civil air patrol on the night of jun/fri/96 from XA00 - XE00 EST. The search was focused over the center of annapolis, md. It now seems to me that any fool who can afford a sailboat, can afford a largo spotlight. As the night grew later the spotlights were trained on us. I know the engine noise would disrupt the sleep hours, but I justified the search because of the 121.5 MHZ is ineffective until silent. Still later, more spotlights. Bwi departure stated, 'the tower phone is ringing about every 5 mins.' I can see no simple prevention of recurrence. No rescue mission after bedtime? Mufflers on aircraft at night?
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ELT (EMER LOCATOR XMITTER) SEARCH TEAM IN A CESSNA 172 WERE EXPOSED TO GND SEARCHLIGHTS FROM BOATS MOORED NEAR THE TOWN OVER WHICH THE SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED. IT CREATED A BLINDING VIEW OF THE TEAM'S OUTSIDE VIEW DURING THE 4- HR SEARCH.
Narrative: I WAS A MEMBER OF AN ELT SEARCH FOR CIVIL AIR PATROL ON THE NIGHT OF JUN/FRI/96 FROM XA00 - XE00 EST. THE SEARCH WAS FOCUSED OVER THE CTR OF ANNAPOLIS, MD. IT NOW SEEMS TO ME THAT ANY FOOL WHO CAN AFFORD A SAILBOAT, CAN AFFORD A LARGO SPOTLIGHT. AS THE NIGHT GREW LATER THE SPOTLIGHTS WERE TRAINED ON US. I KNOW THE ENG NOISE WOULD DISRUPT THE SLEEP HRS, BUT I JUSTIFIED THE SEARCH BECAUSE OF THE 121.5 MHZ IS INEFFECTIVE UNTIL SILENT. STILL LATER, MORE SPOTLIGHTS. BWI DEP STATED, 'THE TWR PHONE IS RINGING ABOUT EVERY 5 MINS.' I CAN SEE NO SIMPLE PREVENTION OF RECURRENCE. NO RESCUE MISSION AFTER BEDTIME? MUFFLERS ON ACFT AT NIGHT?
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.