Narrative:

On 1/fri/90 while working the local control position at ft smith tower, between XA15Z and when the tower closed at XB00Z, I observed several targets (at one point 7 separate targets) on radar. These aircraft were operating inside the air traffic area within 1 1/2 mi south of ft smith airport. When personnel at ft chaffee were notified (dragon control) they did not know the identity of all but one of the aircraft (mlt X). The ft smith approach controller identified mlt X inside the ft smith air traffic area. Mlt X stated he was operating without lights and he had other helicopters in sight also operating in the air traffic area without lights. I made several broadcasts on 243.0 and 121.5 for these aircraft to contact me on 381.6 or 118.3 without any results. Not only did these pilots violate the FARS by operating inside the air traffic area at night without lights, they had spilled out of an active restr area! This type of activity occurs with almost every exercise. This is the third time in the last 9 months or so I have seen helicopters inside the ft smith air traffic area at night without lights. This is an ongoing problem that no one seems to be able to correct. As I was driving away from the facility on 1/fri/90 I observed an air taxi aircraft inbound from dfw enter a left downwind and land on runway 25. The air taxi flew right over these helicopters on the downwind. I feel this is an accident waiting to happen. Supplemental information from acn 135234: while working on the night shift, I answered a call from ft chaffee concerning mlt X which was to be maneuvering north of the reservation. R2401 a/B and R2402 were in use at or below 1500' MSL. Shortly thereafter, several targets were observed 1 1/2 mi south of the airport maneuvering outside of R2401. Mode C readout indicated all aircraft at or below 900' MSL. Attempts by the tower to get visual contact were unsuccessful. I contacted ft chaffee to inquire if the aircraft were operating without lights and with night vision goggles. This was confirmed by the person on duty. Later mlt X checked in on my frequency and was identified. When questioned about his lights, he replied they were off. When asked if the other aircraft in the vicinity were operating without lights, he again replied affirmative. This is the third instance where military aircraft have operated through the fsm air traffic area without lights.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL TRAINING EXERCISE IN RESTRICTED AIRSPACE ADJACENT TO ARPT CAUSED CONCERN DUE TO SPILLOUT INTO ATA AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTS.

Narrative: ON 1/FRI/90 WHILE WORKING THE LCL CTL POSITION AT FT SMITH TWR, BETWEEN XA15Z AND WHEN THE TWR CLOSED AT XB00Z, I OBSERVED SEVERAL TARGETS (AT ONE POINT 7 SEPARATE TARGETS) ON RADAR. THESE ACFT WERE OPERATING INSIDE THE ATA WITHIN 1 1/2 MI S OF FT SMITH ARPT. WHEN PERSONNEL AT FT CHAFFEE WERE NOTIFIED (DRAGON CONTROL) THEY DID NOT KNOW THE IDENTITY OF ALL BUT ONE OF THE ACFT (MLT X). THE FT SMITH APCH CTLR IDENTIFIED MLT X INSIDE THE FT SMITH ATA. MLT X STATED HE WAS OPERATING WITHOUT LIGHTS AND HE HAD OTHER HELICOPTERS IN SIGHT ALSO OPERATING IN THE ATA WITHOUT LIGHTS. I MADE SEVERAL BROADCASTS ON 243.0 AND 121.5 FOR THESE ACFT TO CONTACT ME ON 381.6 OR 118.3 WITHOUT ANY RESULTS. NOT ONLY DID THESE PLTS VIOLATE THE FARS BY OPERATING INSIDE THE ATA AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTS, THEY HAD SPILLED OUT OF AN ACTIVE RESTR AREA! THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY OCCURS WITH ALMOST EVERY EXERCISE. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN THE LAST 9 MONTHS OR SO I HAVE SEEN HELICOPTERS INSIDE THE FT SMITH ATA AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTS. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT. AS I WAS DRIVING AWAY FROM THE FAC ON 1/FRI/90 I OBSERVED AN AIR TAXI ACFT INBND FROM DFW ENTER A LEFT DOWNWIND AND LAND ON RWY 25. THE AIR TAXI FLEW RIGHT OVER THESE HELICOPTERS ON THE DOWNWIND. I FEEL THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 135234: WHILE WORKING ON THE NIGHT SHIFT, I ANSWERED A CALL FROM FT CHAFFEE CONCERNING MLT X WHICH WAS TO BE MANEUVERING N OF THE RESERVATION. R2401 A/B AND R2402 WERE IN USE AT OR BELOW 1500' MSL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, SEVERAL TARGETS WERE OBSERVED 1 1/2 MI S OF THE ARPT MANEUVERING OUTSIDE OF R2401. MODE C READOUT INDICATED ALL ACFT AT OR BELOW 900' MSL. ATTEMPTS BY THE TWR TO GET VISUAL CONTACT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. I CONTACTED FT CHAFFEE TO INQUIRE IF THE ACFT WERE OPERATING WITHOUT LIGHTS AND WITH NIGHT VISION GOGGLES. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY THE PERSON ON DUTY. LATER MLT X CHECKED IN ON MY FREQ AND WAS IDENTIFIED. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS LIGHTS, HE REPLIED THEY WERE OFF. WHEN ASKED IF THE OTHER ACFT IN THE VICINITY WERE OPERATING WITHOUT LIGHTS, HE AGAIN REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE. THIS IS THE THIRD INSTANCE WHERE MIL ACFT HAVE OPERATED THROUGH THE FSM ATA WITHOUT LIGHTS.

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.