Narrative:

Since late july/94, the obstruction lights on the westinghouse building located less than 2000 ft from approach end of runway 32 have been OTS. This building infringes on the safe area for the runway. The lack of lights creates a black hole effect of being a field. The structure is 60- 70 ft high. During limited visibility on a VOR-a approach circle to runway 32, a false landing illusion is created to lack of visual cues. Being a short runway (5200 ft plus or minus) a large aircraft may desire to duck under VASI's toward black hole safe area? This condition could further cause problems departing runway 14. Again this black hole could signify a safe area if confronted with loss of power after takeoff in a single engine or marginally capable multi-engine. A single engine pilot in a split second could choose the black hole as a field. A multi-engine pilot could sacrifice some vvi for some needed airspeed into this black hole. This huge brick complex would not be a pretty sight in landing lights. This building is scheduled for demolition in 1996, 1997 or until this building is removed, the lights should be restored. There is a legal battle between the airport operator and the buildings owner that is no consolation to the poor pilot who makes the wrong choice to go for the black hole or ducks under the VASI. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the obstruction lights being OTS have been brought to the attention of the airport manager and the regional office. Airport operator is trying to get the building owner to turn the lights back on. At present, the building is vacant.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS ON BUILDING 2000 FT FROM RWY 32 AT BUF OTS FOR 6 MONTHS.

Narrative: SINCE LATE JULY/94, THE OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS ON THE WESTINGHOUSE BUILDING LOCATED LESS THAN 2000 FT FROM APCH END OF RWY 32 HAVE BEEN OTS. THIS BUILDING INFRINGES ON THE SAFE AREA FOR THE RWY. THE LACK OF LIGHTS CREATES A BLACK HOLE EFFECT OF BEING A FIELD. THE STRUCTURE IS 60- 70 FT HIGH. DURING LIMITED VISIBILITY ON A VOR-A APCH CIRCLE TO RWY 32, A FALSE LNDG ILLUSION IS CREATED TO LACK OF VISUAL CUES. BEING A SHORT RWY (5200 FT PLUS OR MINUS) A LARGE ACFT MAY DESIRE TO DUCK UNDER VASI'S TOWARD BLACK HOLE SAFE AREA? THIS CONDITION COULD FURTHER CAUSE PROBS DEPARTING RWY 14. AGAIN THIS BLACK HOLE COULD SIGNIFY A SAFE AREA IF CONFRONTED WITH LOSS OF PWR AFTER TKOF IN A SINGLE ENG OR MARGINALLY CAPABLE MULTI-ENG. A SINGLE ENG PLT IN A SPLIT SECOND COULD CHOOSE THE BLACK HOLE AS A FIELD. A MULTI-ENG PLT COULD SACRIFICE SOME VVI FOR SOME NEEDED AIRSPD INTO THIS BLACK HOLE. THIS HUGE BRICK COMPLEX WOULD NOT BE A PRETTY SIGHT IN LNDG LIGHTS. THIS BUILDING IS SCHEDULED FOR DEMOLITION IN 1996, 1997 OR UNTIL THIS BUILDING IS REMOVED, THE LIGHTS SHOULD BE RESTORED. THERE IS A LEGAL BATTLE BTWN THE ARPT OPERATOR AND THE BUILDINGS OWNER THAT IS NO CONSOLATION TO THE POOR PLT WHO MAKES THE WRONG CHOICE TO GO FOR THE BLACK HOLE OR DUCKS UNDER THE VASI. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS BEING OTS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE ARPT MGR AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE. ARPT OPERATOR IS TRYING TO GET THE BUILDING OWNER TO TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON. AT PRESENT, THE BUILDING IS VACANT.

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.