Airport beacon not visible until reporter was on downwind leg for landing.

Attributes
ACN	127109
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rbd
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rbd
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	127109
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Pleasure flight returning to dallas red bird VFR from gilmore, tx. About X pm (dark), navigation by LORAN C to lancaster airport. I could clearly see lancaster airport from 15 mi away, but not the rbd beacon. I continued to lancaster airport, called rbd tower 3-4 mi east of lancaster. Rbd asked for identify--confirmed my location, cleared me for left downwind 17. I headed to rbd, but we never saw the rdb beacon till we were about to turn downwind. It seems to me, with rbd located where it is in the busy dallas traffic area, traffic working at or above 3000' with approach, a brighter, more visible beacon would be a real safety factor for VFR traffic at dallas rbd. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: (reporter states:) I always seem to have trouble locating rbd visually. The beacon does not appear to be bright enough or prominent enough. Numerous lights surround the airport that may be diminishing the effectiveness of the beacon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT BEACON NOT VISIBLE UNTIL REPORTER WAS ON DOWNWIND LEG FOR LNDG.

Narrative: PLEASURE FLT RETURNING TO DALLAS RED BIRD VFR FROM GILMORE, TX. ABOUT X PM (DARK), NAVIGATION BY LORAN C TO LANCASTER ARPT. I COULD CLEARLY SEE LANCASTER ARPT FROM 15 MI AWAY, BUT NOT THE RBD BEACON. I CONTINUED TO LANCASTER ARPT, CALLED RBD TWR 3-4 MI E OF LANCASTER. RBD ASKED FOR IDENT--CONFIRMED MY LOCATION, CLRED ME FOR LEFT DOWNWIND 17. I HEADED TO RBD, BUT WE NEVER SAW THE RDB BEACON TILL WE WERE ABOUT TO TURN DOWNWIND. IT SEEMS TO ME, WITH RBD LOCATED WHERE IT IS IN THE BUSY DALLAS TFC AREA, TFC WORKING AT OR ABOVE 3000' WITH APCH, A BRIGHTER, MORE VISIBLE BEACON WOULD BE A REAL SAFETY FACTOR FOR VFR TFC AT DALLAS RBD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: (RPTR STATES:) I ALWAYS SEEM TO HAVE TROUBLE LOCATING RBD VISUALLY. THE BEACON DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE BRIGHT ENOUGH OR PROMINENT ENOUGH. NUMEROUS LIGHTS SURROUND THE ARPT THAT MAY BE DIMINISHING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BEACON.

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.