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GA-small aircraft unauthorized entry into air traffic area at unfamiliar airport results in near midair collision with unk aircraft on final approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 105406 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198902 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : vgt |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : vgt |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 105406 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was using approach control, las, 133.95, coming into north las vegas from the northwest from beatty, nv. I was released by las approach to go to north las vegas tower. I did not contact the tower for 2-3 mins as I was still trying to determine where the airport was, and being sure I was not in the TCA. I contacted the tower with ATIS information and found myself off the approach end of the active runway at approximately 2.5 mi. With the help of the tower instructions I flew toward downtown las and entered downwind with no further problems. One aircraft flew overhead by approximately 300' on final approach while I was trying to get oriented to the airport and to enter downwind. At dusk or night the north las vegas airport is very hard to find and distinguish with all the nearby freeway lights. To overfly the field and maintain VFR altitude sep is tough when the TCA is 4500-5000'.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA-SMA UNAUTH ENTRY INTO ATA AT UNFAMILIAR ARPT RESULTS IN NMAC WITH UNK ACFT ON FINAL APCH.
Narrative: I WAS USING APCH CTL, LAS, 133.95, COMING INTO NORTH LAS VEGAS FROM THE NW FROM BEATTY, NV. I WAS RELEASED BY LAS APCH TO GO TO NORTH LAS VEGAS TWR. I DID NOT CONTACT THE TWR FOR 2-3 MINS AS I WAS STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE WHERE THE ARPT WAS, AND BEING SURE I WAS NOT IN THE TCA. I CONTACTED THE TWR WITH ATIS INFO AND FOUND MYSELF OFF THE APCH END OF THE ACTIVE RWY AT APPROX 2.5 MI. WITH THE HELP OF THE TWR INSTRUCTIONS I FLEW TOWARD DOWNTOWN LAS AND ENTERED DOWNWIND WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. ONE ACFT FLEW OVERHEAD BY APPROX 300' ON FINAL APCH WHILE I WAS TRYING TO GET ORIENTED TO THE ARPT AND TO ENTER DOWNWIND. AT DUSK OR NIGHT THE NORTH LAS VEGAS ARPT IS VERY HARD TO FIND AND DISTINGUISH WITH ALL THE NEARBY FREEWAY LIGHTS. TO OVERFLY THE FIELD AND MAINTAIN VFR ALT SEP IS TOUGH WHEN THE TCA IS 4500-5000'.
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.