 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Military refueling point was set up on final approach for helicopters without prior notification with tower.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 135209 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199001 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : fsm |
| State Reference | AR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : fsm artcc : zob |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff landing other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 3 |
| ASRS Report | 135209 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 135209 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | Inter Facility Coordination Failure other |
Narrative:
Several times each year, ft chaffee and the joint readiness training command conduct a 1 1/2 - 2 week training exercise involving different units around the country. The rotation in progress during the dates above established an off-base refueling point 5-7 mi west of ft smith municipal on final for runway 7. During this period, military helicopters on a regular basis transitioned from ft chaffee to this point. Some of the pilots involved did establish radio communication with ATC. Many did not. I personally handled an air taxi being vectored for a localizer back course to runway 7 and had traffic depart this refuel point without radio contact. No mode C altitude was available. I advised the air taxi of the traffic but the pilot could not get visual as the WX was MVFR.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MIL REFUELING POINT WAS SET UP ON FINAL APCH FOR HELICOPTERS WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION WITH TWR.
Narrative: SEVERAL TIMES EACH YEAR, FT CHAFFEE AND THE JOINT READINESS TRAINING COMMAND CONDUCT A 1 1/2 - 2 WEEK TRAINING EXERCISE INVOLVING DIFFERENT UNITS AROUND THE COUNTRY. THE ROTATION IN PROGRESS DURING THE DATES ABOVE ESTABLISHED AN OFF-BASE REFUELING POINT 5-7 MI W OF FT SMITH MUNI ON FINAL FOR RWY 7. DURING THIS PERIOD, MIL HELICOPTERS ON A REGULAR BASIS TRANSITIONED FROM FT CHAFFEE TO THIS POINT. SOME OF THE PLTS INVOLVED DID ESTABLISH RADIO COM WITH ATC. MANY DID NOT. I PERSONALLY HANDLED AN AIR TAXI BEING VECTORED FOR A LOC BC TO RWY 7 AND HAD TFC DEPART THIS REFUEL POINT WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT. NO MODE C ALT WAS AVAILABLE. I ADVISED THE AIR TAXI OF THE TFC BUT THE PLT COULD NOT GET VISUAL AS THE WX WAS MVFR.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.