Narrative:

On feb/xx/94 rst ATCT experienced a failure of its medium intensity approach light system with runway alignment indicator lights (MALSR). Since its installation several months ago the system has failed repeatedly. On feb/xx/94, the lighting failure was noticed through the use of binoculars from the tower. During periods of low visibility, however, this would be impossible, and it during periods of low visibility that the approach lights are most critical to safety. Our equipment in the cabin at the time inaccurately indicated that the lights were operating normally. The controllers at rst can no longer be certain as to the true status of the lights. I filed a ucr on the above on feb/xy/94. I've enclosed a copy of the manager's response and the rst workforce about the ucr. I've also enclosed a copy of the great lakes region F&east project information newsletter which acknowledges the numerous troubles currently being encountered with the sonicraft remote radio control system (rrcs). The old MALSR at rst worked fine so I can't figure out why F&east knowingly installed equipment that doesn't work. I believe that it is only a matter of time before this faulty equipment is listed as a causal factor in an accident somewhere in america. I would appreciate it if you would check your data base and see if there are any other facilities that have encountered failures of their MALSR system within the last couple of yrs. I would appreciate any help that you can give the controllers at rst as well as the other facilities who have had the sonicraft rrcs installed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated to his best recollection the MALSR approach lights have failed in IFR conditions 20 times. On one occasion an aircraft was making an emergency landing approach and the tower found out later the approach lights had failed. Reporter stated the approach lights have not failed in several weeks. Failures seem to run in groups. Reporter was advised the administrators hot line was also available for this type problem. Reporter was advised this was a telecon item and the subject of an alert bulletin at eri.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB MEDIUM INTENSITY APCH LIGHT SYSTEM REPEATED FAILURES. NO MONITORING SYS IN TWR.

Narrative: ON FEB/XX/94 RST ATCT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF ITS MEDIUM INTENSITY APCH LIGHT SYS WITH RWY ALIGNMENT INDICATOR LIGHTS (MALSR). SINCE ITS INSTALLATION SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THE SYS HAS FAILED REPEATEDLY. ON FEB/XX/94, THE LIGHTING FAILURE WAS NOTICED THROUGH THE USE OF BINOCULARS FROM THE TWR. DURING PERIODS OF LOW VISIBILITY, HOWEVER, THIS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE, AND IT DURING PERIODS OF LOW VISIBILITY THAT THE APCH LIGHTS ARE MOST CRITICAL TO SAFETY. OUR EQUIP IN THE CABIN AT THE TIME INACCURATELY INDICATED THAT THE LIGHTS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. THE CTLRS AT RST CAN NO LONGER BE CERTAIN AS TO THE TRUE STATUS OF THE LIGHTS. I FILED A UCR ON THE ABOVE ON FEB/XY/94. I'VE ENCLOSED A COPY OF THE MGR'S RESPONSE AND THE RST WORKFORCE ABOUT THE UCR. I'VE ALSO ENCLOSED A COPY OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION F&E PROJECT INFO NEWSLETTER WHICH ACKNOWLEDGES THE NUMEROUS TROUBLES CURRENTLY BEING ENCOUNTERED WITH THE SONICRAFT REMOTE RADIO CTL SYS (RRCS). THE OLD MALSR AT RST WORKED FINE SO I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY F&E KNOWINGLY INSTALLED EQUIP THAT DOESN'T WORK. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS FAULTY EQUIP IS LISTED AS A CAUSAL FACTOR IN AN ACCIDENT SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD CHK YOUR DATA BASE AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER FACILITIES THAT HAVE ENCOUNTERED FAILURES OF THEIR MALSR SYS WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YRS. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN GIVE THE CTLRS AT RST AS WELL AS THE OTHER FACILITIES WHO HAVE HAD THE SONICRAFT RRCS INSTALLED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED TO HIS BEST RECOLLECTION THE MALSR APCH LIGHTS HAVE FAILED IN IFR CONDITIONS 20 TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION AN ACFT WAS MAKING AN EMER LNDG APCH AND THE TWR FOUND OUT LATER THE APCH LIGHTS HAD FAILED. RPTR STATED THE APCH LIGHTS HAVE NOT FAILED IN SEVERAL WKS. FAILURES SEEM TO RUN IN GROUPS. RPTR WAS ADVISED THE ADMINISTRATORS HOT LINE WAS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THIS TYPE PROB. RPTR WAS ADVISED THIS WAS A TELECON ITEM AND THE SUBJECT OF AN ALERT BULLETIN AT ERI.

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.