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Controller reporter claims that navy aircraft conduct practice approachs at ykm after the tower closes and are not VHF equipped to communicate with other aircraft on CTAF.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 176535 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199104 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ykm |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : clt |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Experience | controller military : 8 controller radar : 9 |
| ASRS Report | 176535 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : military |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
An fgt aircraft from nuw is capable of UHF radio xmissions only. The navy does practice approachs to ykm, as it is an emergency landing alternative. However, when the control tower is closed, they cannot utilize the CTAF which is VHF (118.4). I closed the tower on the night in question and had 2 part 135 operators inbound, 1 part 135 proposal, and a civilian proposal. This type of operation is an accident waiting to happen. This is the second report of this nature I've sent in. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter gave ATC experience. No ucr filed. Stated that the approach lights are operated on the CTAF frequency after the tower closes. Navy aircraft normally are returning from their practice range and make one approach before going home to nuw. Reporter has not witnessed any conflicts, but has heard from other people that they have occurred. Reporter also states that this occurs about once or twice a night. Facility manager knows about the situation. Reporter says he lives about 1 mi from airport and walks back and forth to work. He hears the navy aircraft at home and while walking home.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTLR RPTR CLAIMS THAT NAVY ACFT CONDUCT PRACTICE APCHS AT YKM AFTER THE TWR CLOSES AND ARE NOT VHF EQUIPPED TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER ACFT ON CTAF.
Narrative: AN FGT ACFT FROM NUW IS CAPABLE OF UHF RADIO XMISSIONS ONLY. THE NAVY DOES PRACTICE APCHS TO YKM, AS IT IS AN EMER LNDG ALTERNATIVE. HOWEVER, WHEN THE CTL TWR IS CLOSED, THEY CANNOT UTILIZE THE CTAF WHICH IS VHF (118.4). I CLOSED THE TWR ON THE NIGHT IN QUESTION AND HAD 2 PART 135 OPERATORS INBND, 1 PART 135 PROPOSAL, AND A CIVILIAN PROPOSAL. THIS TYPE OF OPERATION IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THIS IS THE SECOND RPT OF THIS NATURE I'VE SENT IN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR GAVE ATC EXPERIENCE. NO UCR FILED. STATED THAT THE APCH LIGHTS ARE OPERATED ON THE CTAF FREQ AFTER THE TWR CLOSES. NAVY ACFT NORMALLY ARE RETURNING FROM THEIR PRACTICE RANGE AND MAKE ONE APCH BEFORE GOING HOME TO NUW. RPTR HAS NOT WITNESSED ANY CONFLICTS, BUT HAS HEARD FROM OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE OCCURRED. RPTR ALSO STATES THAT THIS OCCURS ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE A NIGHT. FAC MGR KNOWS ABOUT THE SITUATION. RPTR SAYS HE LIVES ABOUT 1 MI FROM ARPT AND WALKS BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. HE HEARS THE NAVY ACFT AT HOME AND WHILE WALKING HOME.
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.