Narrative:

Oma tower is a VFR tower, supported by a RAPCON (TRACON) located 10 mi from airport. On 8/X/89, an small aircraft operating under the auspices of law enforcement (for the purpose of surveillance) was flying west/O lights after sunset in the oma eppley control zone at 3500' MSL. The initial information was given to the supervisor on duty at the oma TRACON, who in turn passed it to the supervisor at oma tower. The information included, but was not limited to the fact, that an aircraft operated by law enforcement would be departing eppley airport and operating west/O lights (with permission of lnk FSDO), for approximately 5 hours at 3500' MSL, and within 2 mi of the airport. The TRACON supervisor evidently thought this was all right, as he approved it. No restrictions were placed on the controllers in the tower, in reference to IFR departures, and for the most part none was given, other than the TRACON controller telling the tower to miss him (which the tower cannot do unless the aircraft is in sight). I feel this is a dangerous situation, and that even FSDO shouldn't have the authority to approve an operation such as this, no matter who it involves. I should add that at the time in questions, we were departing to the south and that the aircraft was operating south of the airport. We also had a couple of small departure rushes during the time the aircraft was up, along with numerous VFR aircraft. At one time the TRACON approved a VFR aircraft to operate in the vicinity of the other aircraft (at this time it was totally dark) at the same altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CIRCLING AT NIGHT IN THE CTL ZONE WITHOUT LIGHTS WHILE OTHER TRAFFIC WAS OPERATING NEARBY WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTIONS.

Narrative: OMA TWR IS A VFR TWR, SUPPORTED BY A RAPCON (TRACON) LOCATED 10 MI FROM ARPT. ON 8/X/89, AN SMA OPERATING UNDER THE AUSPICES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT (FOR THE PURPOSE OF SURVEILLANCE) WAS FLYING W/O LIGHTS AFTER SUNSET IN THE OMA EPPLEY CTL ZONE AT 3500' MSL. THE INITIAL INFO WAS GIVEN TO THE SUPVR ON DUTY AT THE OMA TRACON, WHO IN TURN PASSED IT TO THE SUPVR AT OMA TWR. THE INFO INCLUDED, BUT WAS NOT LIMITED TO THE FACT, THAT AN ACFT OPERATED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE DEPARTING EPPLEY ARPT AND OPERATING W/O LIGHTS (WITH PERMISSION OF LNK FSDO), FOR APPROX 5 HRS AT 3500' MSL, AND WITHIN 2 MI OF THE ARPT. THE TRACON SUPVR EVIDENTLY THOUGHT THIS WAS ALL RIGHT, AS HE APPROVED IT. NO RESTRICTIONS WERE PLACED ON THE CTLRS IN THE TWR, IN REF TO IFR DEPS, AND FOR THE MOST PART NONE WAS GIVEN, OTHER THAN THE TRACON CTLR TELLING THE TWR TO MISS HIM (WHICH THE TWR CANNOT DO UNLESS THE ACFT IS IN SIGHT). I FEEL THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND THAT EVEN FSDO SHOULDN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE AN OPERATION SUCH AS THIS, NO MATTER WHO IT INVOLVES. I SHOULD ADD THAT AT THE TIME IN QUESTIONS, WE WERE DEPARTING TO THE S AND THAT THE ACFT WAS OPERATING S OF THE ARPT. WE ALSO HAD A COUPLE OF SMALL DEP RUSHES DURING THE TIME THE ACFT WAS UP, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS VFR ACFT. AT ONE TIME THE TRACON APPROVED A VFR ACFT TO OPERATE IN THE VICINITY OF THE OTHER ACFT (AT THIS TIME IT WAS TOTALLY DARK) AT THE SAME ALT.

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.