Airport beacon inoperative for quite some time.

Attributes
ACN	281998
Time
Date	199409
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 32s
State Reference	MT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	289198
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The airport beacon light has been inoperative for 3 months which makes it very difficult to find the airport during night and dusk operations. Airport is 32S, stevensville, mt. During the summer of 1994, we have also had severe smoke problems due to many forest fires in the area, which compounds the problem of locating the airport. This has been a recurring problem here and continues to be one. We have been able to locate the airport with LORAN, but if you don't have one, you are out of luck! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he knows the airport manager is aware of the problem as it has gone on and off for some time. Airport manager claims he is too busy to take care of it. There appears to be some problem with wiring and it burns out frequently. Reporter says this can be taken care of and needs to be. All of their aircraft do not have LORAN so cannot locate the airport in the smoke or at night without the aid of the beacon. Analyst recommended the FAA hotline as well as his report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT BEACON INOP FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

Narrative: THE ARPT BEACON LIGHT HAS BEEN INOP FOR 3 MONTHS WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE ARPT DURING NIGHT AND DUSK OPS. ARPT IS 32S, STEVENSVILLE, MT. DURING THE SUMMER OF 1994, WE HAVE ALSO HAD SEVERE SMOKE PROBS DUE TO MANY FOREST FIRES IN THE AREA, WHICH COMPOUNDS THE PROB OF LOCATING THE ARPT. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROB HERE AND CONTINUES TO BE ONE. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THE ARPT WITH LORAN, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE, YOU ARE OUT OF LUCK! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE KNOWS THE ARPT MGR IS AWARE OF THE PROB AS IT HAS GONE ON AND OFF FOR SOME TIME. ARPT MGR CLAIMS HE IS TOO BUSY TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME PROB WITH WIRING AND IT BURNS OUT FREQUENTLY. RPTR SAYS THIS CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF AND NEEDS TO BE. ALL OF THEIR ACFT DO NOT HAVE LORAN SO CANNOT LOCATE THE ARPT IN THE SMOKE OR AT NIGHT WITHOUT THE AID OF THE BEACON. ANALYST RECOMMENDED THE FAA HOTLINE AS WELL AS HIS RPT.

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.