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A small aircraft pilot concerned about the ability to identify the airport at night due to the low intensity, (dim and orangish) of the runway lights.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 526862 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200110 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ash fork.airport |
| State Reference | NH |
| Altitude | agl single value : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : ash.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 81 flight time total : 547 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 526862 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airport |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Potentially disrupted traffic pattern and potential for conflict due to inability to identify airport at night at close range when approaching from abeam the runway. Runway lights are dim and orangish. Rotating beacon does not stand out. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated an ash tower specialist revealed that, when the tower is not in operation, the runway edge lights are set at a predetermined level, predicated on the WX forecast. The intensity adjustment funs from 1 to 5, with 3 being used for normal operations, the 5 setting is used when the forecast calls for one half mile visibility and fog. The runway lights will come on by keying the CTAF frequency. In addition to the runway lights coming on, the approach lights to runway 14 will also come on. However the intensity of these lights is adjustable.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A SMA PLT CONCERNED ABOUT THE ABILITY TO IDENTIFY THE ARPT AT NIGHT DUE TO THE LOW INTENSITY, (DIM AND ORANGISH) OF THE RWY LIGHTS.
Narrative: POTENTIALLY DISRUPTED TFC PATTERN AND POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT DUE TO INABILITY TO IDENTIFY ARPT AT NIGHT AT CLOSE RANGE WHEN APCHING FROM ABEAM THE RWY. RWY LIGHTS ARE DIM AND ORANGISH. ROTATING BEACON DOES NOT STAND OUT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED AN ASH TWR SPECIALIST REVEALED THAT, WHEN THE TWR IS NOT IN OPERATION, THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS ARE SET AT A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, PREDICATED ON THE WX FORECAST. THE INTENSITY ADJUSTMENT FUNS FROM 1 TO 5, WITH 3 BEING USED FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS, THE 5 SETTING IS USED WHEN THE FORECAST CALLS FOR ONE HALF MILE VISIBILITY AND FOG. THE RWY LIGHTS WILL COME ON BY KEYING THE CTAF FREQ. IN ADDITION TO THE RWY LIGHTS COMING ON, THE APCH LIGHTS TO RWY 14 WILL ALSO COME ON. HOWEVER THE INTENSITY OF THESE LIGHTS IS ADJUSTABLE.
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.