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Flight crew complaint about sequence flashing white obstruction lights on power company towers 5 NM from runway 10 at pdx.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 104137 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198902 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pdx |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 1300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : pdx tower : day |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 104137 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Airport | other physical facility |
Narrative:
On localizer approach runway 10 pdx (G/south inoperative) at 600' above MDA I came out of the clouds. Immediately in front of me were flashing white lights that appeared to be sequenced flasher lead-in lights. Since I appeared to be high and close (referencing the white lights) I rechked altitude and DME and realized that the runway had to be 5 NM in front of me. About 1 NM further the runway lights became visible. Later conversation with tower indicated I had seen obstruction lights on a power line (?) crossing the columbia river. On a marginal visibility approach, with high winds, turbulence and shears, the potential to mistake those flashing white lights for sequenced approach lights is significant. I believe the obstruction lights should be red versus white and if they must flash they should flash consistently and not in an alternating or sequenced fashion. The lack of G/south on the approach was a contributing factor, but need not have been significant.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW COMPLAINT ABOUT SEQUENCE FLASHING WHITE OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS ON POWER COMPANY TOWERS 5 NM FROM RWY 10 AT PDX.
Narrative: ON LOC APCH RWY 10 PDX (G/S INOP) AT 600' ABOVE MDA I CAME OUT OF THE CLOUDS. IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF ME WERE FLASHING WHITE LIGHTS THAT APPEARED TO BE SEQUENCED FLASHER LEAD-IN LIGHTS. SINCE I APPEARED TO BE HIGH AND CLOSE (REFERENCING THE WHITE LIGHTS) I RECHKED ALT AND DME AND REALIZED THAT THE RWY HAD TO BE 5 NM IN FRONT OF ME. ABOUT 1 NM FURTHER THE RWY LIGHTS BECAME VISIBLE. LATER CONVERSATION WITH TWR INDICATED I HAD SEEN OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS ON A POWER LINE (?) XING THE COLUMBIA RIVER. ON A MARGINAL VISIBILITY APCH, WITH HIGH WINDS, TURB AND SHEARS, THE POTENTIAL TO MISTAKE THOSE FLASHING WHITE LIGHTS FOR SEQUENCED APCH LIGHTS IS SIGNIFICANT. I BELIEVE THE OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS SHOULD BE RED VERSUS WHITE AND IF THEY MUST FLASH THEY SHOULD FLASH CONSISTENTLY AND NOT IN AN ALTERNATING OR SEQUENCED FASHION. THE LACK OF G/S ON THE APCH WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, BUT NEED NOT HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.