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A B737-700 abeam the stadium on phl's short final was exposed to bright light flashes causing the first officer temporary vision difficulties.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 680368 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200512 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phl.airport |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1100 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : phl.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 680368 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Airspace Structure |
Narrative:
While on final for runway 27R; the cockpit lit up from 3 very bright white lights in rapid succession. My first officer subsequently reported that the last 2 flashes caused him to see spots for a considerable period after the event. The flashes originated from the stadium to the right of runway 27R centerline. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that when the first flash occurred; the first officer instinctively turned his head to see what the flash was. Shortly thereafter; as he looked at the stadium; 2 more flashes occurred that caused him to have vision spots. The reporter did not know what event was taking place at the time. However; he would suggest that either all bright lights be pointed away from phl final approach course or a NOTAM be issued advising crews about the possibility of bright lights coming from the nearby stadium.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-700 ABEAM THE STADIUM ON PHL'S SHORT FINAL WAS EXPOSED TO BRIGHT LIGHT FLASHES CAUSING THE FO TEMPORARY VISION DIFFICULTIES.
Narrative: WHILE ON FINAL FOR RWY 27R; THE COCKPIT LIT UP FROM 3 VERY BRIGHT WHITE LIGHTS IN RAPID SUCCESSION. MY FO SUBSEQUENTLY RPTED THAT THE LAST 2 FLASHES CAUSED HIM TO SEE SPOTS FOR A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD AFTER THE EVENT. THE FLASHES ORIGINATED FROM THE STADIUM TO THE R OF RWY 27R CTRLINE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT WHEN THE FIRST FLASH OCCURRED; THE FO INSTINCTIVELY TURNED HIS HEAD TO SEE WHAT THE FLASH WAS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; AS HE LOOKED AT THE STADIUM; 2 MORE FLASHES OCCURRED THAT CAUSED HIM TO HAVE VISION SPOTS. THE RPTR DID NOT KNOW WHAT EVENT WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE TIME. HOWEVER; HE WOULD SUGGEST THAT EITHER ALL BRIGHT LIGHTS BE POINTED AWAY FROM PHL FINAL APCH COURSE OR A NOTAM BE ISSUED ADVISING CREWS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BRIGHT LIGHTS COMING FROM THE NEARBY STADIUM.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.