Gear retract problem. Beacon shielded and too dim so almost unusable.

Attributes
ACN	188608
Time
Date	199108
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rvs
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rvs
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	188608
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

After takeoff attempted to retract gear (manual) on small aircraft. However, cockpit equipment on floor prevented full retraction. This caused considerable cockpit confusion. On a different point, the airport beacon at rvs airport is almost completely unusable because it is too dim as well as being shielded. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he was with local FAA office for many yrs. This is an ongoing problem with an easy much needed solution. Due to beacon being at tower level it is shielded for about 40 degree and kept dim so that controllers are not blinded. Suggestions to place beacon on roof of tower are greeted with 'the roof doesn't leak so we don't want to mess with it'. The airport manager and airport engineer have a suitable site selected but cannot seem to get any action. The beacon appears to be a split light military facility from certain approach areas due to interruption of lighting caused by shield. Reporter concern heightened due to arsa right next to field and probability of violating the airspace when unable to identify rvs. When tower not operating only 1 runway is lighted and reporter believes not at high intensity so very difficult to locate at night. Feels this has been a bad situation for much too long and solution should be worked out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GEAR RETRACT PROBLEM. BEACON SHIELDED AND TOO DIM SO ALMOST UNUSABLE.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF ATTEMPTED TO RETRACT GEAR (MANUAL) ON SMA. HOWEVER, COCKPIT EQUIP ON FLOOR PREVENTED FULL RETRACTION. THIS CAUSED CONSIDERABLE COCKPIT CONFUSION. ON A DIFFERENT POINT, THE ARPT BEACON AT RVS ARPT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY UNUSABLE BECAUSE IT IS TOO DIM AS WELL AS BEING SHIELDED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE WAS WITH LCL FAA OFFICE FOR MANY YRS. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH AN EASY MUCH NEEDED SOLUTION. DUE TO BEACON BEING AT TWR LEVEL IT IS SHIELDED FOR ABOUT 40 DEG AND KEPT DIM SO THAT CTLRS ARE NOT BLINDED. SUGGESTIONS TO PLACE BEACON ON ROOF OF TWR ARE GREETED WITH 'THE ROOF DOESN'T LEAK SO WE DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH IT'. THE ARPT MGR AND ARPT ENGINEER HAVE A SUITABLE SITE SELECTED BUT CANNOT SEEM TO GET ANY ACTION. THE BEACON APPEARS TO BE A SPLIT LIGHT MIL FACILITY FROM CERTAIN APCH AREAS DUE TO INTERRUPTION OF LIGHTING CAUSED BY SHIELD. RPTR CONCERN HEIGHTENED DUE TO ARSA RIGHT NEXT TO FIELD AND PROBABILITY OF VIOLATING THE AIRSPACE WHEN UNABLE TO IDENT RVS. WHEN TWR NOT OPERATING ONLY 1 RWY IS LIGHTED AND RPTR BELIEVES NOT AT HIGH INTENSITY SO VERY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE AT NIGHT. FEELS THIS HAS BEEN A BAD SITUATION FOR MUCH TOO LONG AND SOLUTION SHOULD BE WORKED OUT.

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.