 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Automated surface observing system obstruction light inoperative.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 261074 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199312 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dec |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| ASRS Report | 261074 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Approximately nov/xx/93 ASOS was installed at dec airport. While working at dec ATC tower on dec/sat/93, I noticed that the ASOS obstruction light was inoperative. The location where the ASOS is located is a landing area utilized by the illinois army national guard helicopters. Due to the guard's period of scheduled non activity, the springfield, il, office of the national WX service (NWS) wasn't notified until dec/mon/93. At that time the NWS ASOS repair person was banned from the airport due to a runway incursion. On dec/wed/93 the NWS was once again allowed to operate at the airport. Early this week the NWS arrived finally to check on the problem and found that there was a power feed problem to the ASOS site. The NWS departed the airport and said they would return to fix the problem. As of jan/fri/94 the problem hasn't been rectified and a hazard to aircraft operations still exists at the airport. The airport has known about the problem for 14 days and the NWS for 12 days and yet no one has made any effort to mark and identify the flight hazard to aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: dec air traffic manager stated the ASOS is in a test mode and the obstruction light was repaired as soon as parts were received by NWS.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYS OBSTRUCTION LIGHT INOP.
Narrative: APPROX NOV/XX/93 ASOS WAS INSTALLED AT DEC ARPT. WHILE WORKING AT DEC ATC TWR ON DEC/SAT/93, I NOTICED THAT THE ASOS OBSTRUCTION LIGHT WAS INOP. THE LOCATION WHERE THE ASOS IS LOCATED IS A LNDG AREA UTILIZED BY THE ILLINOIS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD HELIS. DUE TO THE GUARD'S PERIOD OF SCHEDULED NON ACTIVITY, THE SPRINGFIELD, IL, OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL WX SVC (NWS) WASN'T NOTIFIED UNTIL DEC/MON/93. AT THAT TIME THE NWS ASOS REPAIR PERSON WAS BANNED FROM THE ARPT DUE TO A RWY INCURSION. ON DEC/WED/93 THE NWS WAS ONCE AGAIN ALLOWED TO OPERATE AT THE ARPT. EARLY THIS WK THE NWS ARRIVED FINALLY TO CHK ON THE PROB AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A PWR FEED PROB TO THE ASOS SITE. THE NWS DEPARTED THE ARPT AND SAID THEY WOULD RETURN TO FIX THE PROB. AS OF JAN/FRI/94 THE PROB HASN'T BEEN RECTIFIED AND A HAZARD TO ACFT OPS STILL EXISTS AT THE ARPT. THE ARPT HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROB FOR 14 DAYS AND THE NWS FOR 12 DAYS AND YET NO ONE HAS MADE ANY EFFORT TO MARK AND IDENT THE FLT HAZARD TO ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: DEC AIR TFC MGR STATED THE ASOS IS IN A TEST MODE AND THE OBSTRUCTION LIGHT WAS REPAIRED AS SOON AS PARTS WERE RECEIVED BY NWS.
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.