<< >> NASA ASRS Report 383571, October 1997

Flight crew of B737-300 almost overruns a falcon 50 when taxiing for takeoff. The falcon is #4 in line holding for the runway. Position lights are on but no flashing beacon.

Attributes
ACN	383571
Time
Date	199710
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Falcon 50
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	383571
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During taxi out to runway 1R at sfo at night. Almost rear- ended a falcon 50 that was #4 in line for takeoff. After noticing the falcon I was able to stop at a safe distance, and then noticed the falcon only had position lights (red, green wingtip and white tail) on, but no red rotating beacon. If the falcon had a beacon on I would have noticed him earlier. His white tail light didn't stand out from other airport lights. Even more unusual was when I had ATC inquire of the falcon's beacon, the falcon then turned on what appeared to be white strobes, one located on top the rudder and the other on the fuselage underside. Evidently the falcon did not have a red beacon, only the strobes. I assume the falcon crew taxies without the strobes as a courtesy to other crews (they're bright). But doing so leaves them hard to see. The FAA should not allow aircraft to be certified without the customary red rotating beacon.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF B737-300 ALMOST OVERRUNS A FALCON 50 WHEN TAXIING FOR TKOF. THE FALCON IS #4 IN LINE HOLDING FOR THE RWY. POS LIGHTS ARE ON BUT NO FLASHING BEACON.

Narrative: DURING TAXI OUT TO RWY 1R AT SFO AT NIGHT. ALMOST REAR- ENDED A FALCON 50 THAT WAS #4 IN LINE FOR TKOF. AFTER NOTICING THE FALCON I WAS ABLE TO STOP AT A SAFE DISTANCE, AND THEN NOTICED THE FALCON ONLY HAD POS LIGHTS (RED, GREEN WINGTIP AND WHITE TAIL) ON, BUT NO RED ROTATING BEACON. IF THE FALCON HAD A BEACON ON I WOULD HAVE NOTICED HIM EARLIER. HIS WHITE TAIL LIGHT DIDN'T STAND OUT FROM OTHER ARPT LIGHTS. EVEN MORE UNUSUAL WAS WHEN I HAD ATC INQUIRE OF THE FALCON'S BEACON, THE FALCON THEN TURNED ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE WHITE STROBES, ONE LOCATED ON TOP THE RUDDER AND THE OTHER ON THE FUSELAGE UNDERSIDE. EVIDENTLY THE FALCON DID NOT HAVE A RED BEACON, ONLY THE STROBES. I ASSUME THE FALCON CREW TAXIES WITHOUT THE STROBES AS A COURTESY TO OTHER CREWS (THEY'RE BRIGHT). BUT DOING SO LEAVES THEM HARD TO SEE. THE FAA SHOULD NOT ALLOW ACFT TO BE CERTIFIED WITHOUT THE CUSTOMARY RED ROTATING BEACON.

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.