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Small aircraft pilot using designated visual checkpoint finds only 1 tower with strobe light.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 155192 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199008 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : rdu |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : rdu |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 590 |
| ASRS Report | 155192 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
En route from painesville, oh to fayetteville, nc we were northeast of the rdu area descending from 11500' MSL to 2500' MSL. We were maintaining VFR and navigating around locally scattered thunderstorms. Visibility was 3 1/2-4 mi haze. One of our VFR chkpoints was the 2000' high tv/radio towers located on a 130 degree right 17 NM from the rdu VORTAC. We picked up the high intensity light about 4 mi northeast of the towers. As we approached and in planning our flight to circumnav the towers by at least 2000' to the east, we discovered that only the west tower had an operational high intensity light causing us to turn the aircraft east abruptly. In the interest of flight safety, I feel that both towers should have high intensity lights or a notice to airmen should indicate which tower does have a high intensity light. This information should also be depicted in the charts.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT USING DESIGNATED VISUAL CHECKPOINT FINDS ONLY 1 TWR WITH STROBE LIGHT.
Narrative: ENRTE FROM PAINESVILLE, OH TO FAYETTEVILLE, NC WE WERE NE OF THE RDU AREA DSNDING FROM 11500' MSL TO 2500' MSL. WE WERE MAINTAINING VFR AND NAVIGATING AROUND LOCALLY SCATTERED TSTMS. VISIBILITY WAS 3 1/2-4 MI HAZE. ONE OF OUR VFR CHKPOINTS WAS THE 2000' HIGH TV/RADIO TWRS LOCATED ON A 130 DEG R 17 NM FROM THE RDU VORTAC. WE PICKED UP THE HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT ABOUT 4 MI NE OF THE TWRS. AS WE APCHED AND IN PLANNING OUR FLT TO CIRCUMNAV THE TWRS BY AT LEAST 2000' TO THE E, WE DISCOVERED THAT ONLY THE W TWR HAD AN OPERATIONAL HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT CAUSING US TO TURN THE ACFT E ABRUPTLY. IN THE INTEREST OF FLT SAFETY, I FEEL THAT BOTH TWRS SHOULD HAVE HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTS OR A NOTICE TO AIRMEN SHOULD INDICATE WHICH TWR DOES HAVE A HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT. THIS INFO SHOULD ALSO BE DEPICTED IN THE CHARTS.
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.