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Mem controller expressed concern regarding maintenance repair procedures causing limited visibility in the tower.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 631409 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200409 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mem.airport |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 16 |
| ASRS Report | 631409 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other controllerb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : mem.tower |
Narrative:
While working local control #2, the approach lights to runway 36L went out. Maintenance was called and approximately 35 mins later a maintenance technician came to the tower and got between me and my position. I was unable to see the BRITE, amass, my strip pad, and portions of the runway. At no time did I give permission for him to be there. Due to the position of the approach lighting panel the technician needed to lean over my strip bay. An operational error occurred 2 months ago due to the same situation. How much longer does this need to go on, before some kind of action is taken. Supplemental information from acn 631410: during the morning arrival push, the approach lights for runway 36L went out. Because of this 2 aircraft went around. The problem I have is at (local controller #2) local position, I could not see the approach light panel. I have no idea how many aircraft made approachs before I noticed the approach lights were out. In my opinion this is a very unsafe operation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MEM CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING MAINT REPAIR PROCS CAUSING LIMITED VISIBILITY IN THE TWR.
Narrative: WHILE WORKING LCL CTL #2, THE APCH LIGHTS TO RWY 36L WENT OUT. MAINT WAS CALLED AND APPROX 35 MINS LATER A MAINT TECHNICIAN CAME TO THE TWR AND GOT BTWN ME AND MY POS. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE BRITE, AMASS, MY STRIP PAD, AND PORTIONS OF THE RWY. AT NO TIME DID I GIVE PERMISSION FOR HIM TO BE THERE. DUE TO THE POS OF THE APCH LIGHTING PANEL THE TECHNICIAN NEEDED TO LEAN OVER MY STRIP BAY. AN OPERROR OCCURRED 2 MONTHS AGO DUE TO THE SAME SIT. HOW MUCH LONGER DOES THIS NEED TO GO ON, BEFORE SOME KIND OF ACTION IS TAKEN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 631410: DURING THE MORNING ARR PUSH, THE APCH LIGHTS FOR RWY 36L WENT OUT. BECAUSE OF THIS 2 ACFT WENT AROUND. THE PROB I HAVE IS AT (LCL CTLR #2) LCL POS, I COULD NOT SEE THE APCH LIGHT PANEL. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY ACFT MADE APCHS BEFORE I NOTICED THE APCH LIGHTS WERE OUT. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE OP.
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.