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Loss of radio communications occasionally occurs with aircraft in takeoff position at approach end of runway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 122956 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198909 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : geg |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 6 controller radar : 4 |
| ASRS Report | 122956 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
Small aircraft X departing geg VFR wbound was taxied into position by the local controller and radio communications were then lost. Yesterday, 9/thur/89, light transport Y was taxied into position by the local controller and radio communications were then lost. For at least 3 yrs we have experienced a blind spot at the approach end of runway 21--smack dab in the middle of the runway at the approach end. At times, which was the case with the above-mentioned light transport Y, we are able to reach the aircraft with a portable radio located in the tower cabin. At other times, which was the case with small aircraft X, we had to have a taxiing aircraft relay the takeoff clearance. Within the past 2 months the maintenance people here moved the transceivers on the field in attempt to correct this problem. We've seen no appreciable change as a result of that move. The problem has occurred numerous times; although it is not frequent, it is not infrequent. Today it was sunny and 84 degrees at the time of occurrence. It can also happen when it is snowing and 26 degrees. There is no pattern as to predict when the blind spot will occur. It may not surface for 2 months, and then cause problems for 2 days in a row. We always switch to the standby transmitter first, then try the radar, then relay as a last resort.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LOSS OF RADIO COMS OCCASIONALLY OCCURS WITH ACFT IN TKOF POSITION AT APCH END OF RWY.
Narrative: SMA X DEPARTING GEG VFR WBOUND WAS TAXIED INTO POS BY THE LCL CTLR AND RADIO COMS WERE THEN LOST. YESTERDAY, 9/THUR/89, LTT Y WAS TAXIED INTO POS BY THE LCL CTLR AND RADIO COMS WERE THEN LOST. FOR AT LEAST 3 YRS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A BLIND SPOT AT THE APCH END OF RWY 21--SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RWY AT THE APCH END. AT TIMES, WHICH WAS THE CASE WITH THE ABOVE-MENTIONED LTT Y, WE ARE ABLE TO REACH THE ACFT WITH A PORTABLE RADIO LOCATED IN THE TWR CABIN. AT OTHER TIMES, WHICH WAS THE CASE WITH SMA X, WE HAD TO HAVE A TAXIING ACFT RELAY THE TKOF CLRNC. WITHIN THE PAST 2 MONTHS THE MAINT PEOPLE HERE MOVED THE TRANSCEIVERS ON THE FIELD IN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THIS PROB. WE'VE SEEN NO APPRECIABLE CHANGE AS A RESULT OF THAT MOVE. THE PROB HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES; ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT FREQUENT, IT IS NOT INFREQUENT. TODAY IT WAS SUNNY AND 84 DEGS AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE. IT CAN ALSO HAPPEN WHEN IT IS SNOWING AND 26 DEGS. THERE IS NO PATTERN AS TO PREDICT WHEN THE BLIND SPOT WILL OCCUR. IT MAY NOT SURFACE FOR 2 MONTHS, AND THEN CAUSE PROBS FOR 2 DAYS IN A ROW. WE ALWAYS SWITCH TO THE STANDBY XMITTER FIRST, THEN TRY THE RADAR, THEN RELAY AS A LAST RESORT.
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.