Narrative:

This airport has 1 instrument runway equipped with ILS and MALSR. On dec/thu/93, while off duty, I drove by the airport and noticed that only 2 of 5 sequenced flashing RAIL lights on the MALSR were operating. I called the controller-in-charge and advised him. He left a note for the day shift supervisor who contacted airway facilities navaids supervisor. He advised that 2 lights was enough to consider the system operational. This is only 40 percent of the system working. Based on this, the equipment was not notamed out. I arrived for work at XD00 pm dec/fri/93 and the WX was measured ceiling 400 overcast, 1 1/2 mi visibility in rain and fog and subsequently went down to measured ceiling 3000 overcast 1 1/4 mi visibility in rain and fog with aircraft missing approach. This ILS already has high mins (406 AGL) so approach lights are critical. An inoperative MALSR would raise the visibility minimum by 1/2 NM on this approach, so I consider this an unsafe situation. The air traffic manager said that, if airways facilities said it was okay, then it was their decision. Both the ILS and MALSR need to work. High minimums are not enough as pilots cheat. This airport serves air carrier, commuter, cpr, and private aircraft, and also has a PAPI runway 23 that is unusable, a VASI runway 12 that has never been commissioned and 3 pair of REIL lights that don't work.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT MALSR AND REIL LIGHTS NOT IN FULL OPERATIONAL STATUS AND MAINT REPLY WHEN NOTIFIED.

Narrative: THIS ARPT HAS 1 INST RWY EQUIPPED WITH ILS AND MALSR. ON DEC/THU/93, WHILE OFF DUTY, I DROVE BY THE ARPT AND NOTICED THAT ONLY 2 OF 5 SEQUENCED FLASHING RAIL LIGHTS ON THE MALSR WERE OPERATING. I CALLED THE CTLR-IN-CHARGE AND ADVISED HIM. HE LEFT A NOTE FOR THE DAY SHIFT SUPVR WHO CONTACTED AIRWAY FACILITIES NAVAIDS SUPVR. HE ADVISED THAT 2 LIGHTS WAS ENOUGH TO CONSIDER THE SYS OPERATIONAL. THIS IS ONLY 40 PERCENT OF THE SYS WORKING. BASED ON THIS, THE EQUIP WAS NOT NOTAMED OUT. I ARRIVED FOR WORK AT XD00 PM DEC/FRI/93 AND THE WX WAS MEASURED CEILING 400 OVCST, 1 1/2 MI VISIBILITY IN RAIN AND FOG AND SUBSEQUENTLY WENT DOWN TO MEASURED CEILING 3000 OVCST 1 1/4 MI VISIBILITY IN RAIN AND FOG WITH ACFT MISSING APCH. THIS ILS ALREADY HAS HIGH MINS (406 AGL) SO APCH LIGHTS ARE CRITICAL. AN INOP MALSR WOULD RAISE THE VISIBILITY MINIMUM BY 1/2 NM ON THIS APCH, SO I CONSIDER THIS AN UNSAFE SIT. THE AIR TFC MGR SAID THAT, IF AIRWAYS FACILITIES SAID IT WAS OKAY, THEN IT WAS THEIR DECISION. BOTH THE ILS AND MALSR NEED TO WORK. HIGH MINIMUMS ARE NOT ENOUGH AS PLTS CHEAT. THIS ARPT SERVES ACR, COMMUTER, CPR, AND PVT ACFT, AND ALSO HAS A PAPI RWY 23 THAT IS UNUSABLE, A VASI RWY 12 THAT HAS NEVER BEEN COMMISSIONED AND 3 PAIR OF REIL LIGHTS THAT DON'T WORK.

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.