Confusion about location of obstruction on approach plate. Possible illusion.

Attributes
ACN	120734
Time
Date	198908
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4412 msl bound upper : 5800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rno
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	120734
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I have flown to rno a dozen time before this flight, so I felt comfortable with this flight, but this was the first time I had to land to the north on 34L. Since I wasn't sure about the terrain to the south of the airport, I elected to follow the localizer DME (back course) B to 34L, after consulting 10-1 for obstacles and showing nothing--plus our company's flight operations manual for 'special airports,' which I keep listed under the appropriate airport in my manual. We picked up the runway early on the approach, after descending through an overcast, and then continued to step down the approach. The closer we got to the airport, I could see this would be a 'black hole approach,' due to the moonlight being blocked out by the overcast and not many lights on the ground. I flew to the last fix on the approach at 2.3 DME and 5000', and I could see 2 terrain obstruction lights ahead which were rattlesnake peak (5027') and an antenna (5023'). I knew there was a hill, but from my perspective it appeared as a ridge perpendicular to the end of the runway. I refused to descend till I cleared the lights, and then had to dive for the runway with 40 degree flaps and idle power, and landed about 1/3 down the runway (10002'), which made for an uncomfortable approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION ABOUT LOCATION OF OBSTRUCTION ON APCH PLATE. POSSIBLE ILLUSION.

Narrative: I HAVE FLOWN TO RNO A DOZEN TIME BEFORE THIS FLT, SO I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS FLT, BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO LAND TO THE N ON 34L. SINCE I WASN'T SURE ABOUT THE TERRAIN TO THE S OF THE ARPT, I ELECTED TO FOLLOW THE LOC DME (BACK COURSE) B TO 34L, AFTER CONSULTING 10-1 FOR OBSTACLES AND SHOWING NOTHING--PLUS OUR COMPANY'S FLT OPS MANUAL FOR 'SPECIAL ARPTS,' WHICH I KEEP LISTED UNDER THE APPROPRIATE ARPT IN MY MANUAL. WE PICKED UP THE RWY EARLY ON THE APCH, AFTER DSNDING THROUGH AN OVCST, AND THEN CONTINUED TO STEP DOWN THE APCH. THE CLOSER WE GOT TO THE ARPT, I COULD SEE THIS WOULD BE A 'BLACK HOLE APCH,' DUE TO THE MOONLIGHT BEING BLOCKED OUT BY THE OVCST AND NOT MANY LIGHTS ON THE GND. I FLEW TO THE LAST FIX ON THE APCH AT 2.3 DME AND 5000', AND I COULD SEE 2 TERRAIN OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS AHEAD WHICH WERE RATTLESNAKE PEAK (5027') AND AN ANTENNA (5023'). I KNEW THERE WAS A HILL, BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IT APPEARED AS A RIDGE PERPENDICULAR TO THE END OF THE RWY. I REFUSED TO DSND TILL I CLRED THE LIGHTS, AND THEN HAD TO DIVE FOR THE RWY WITH 40 DEG FLAPS AND IDLE PWR, AND LANDED ABOUT 1/3 DOWN THE RWY (10002'), WHICH MADE FOR AN UNCOMFORTABLE APCH.

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.