Narrative:

On visual approach to runway 32 at pit at about 200 ft AGL there are very bright lights on the right coming from a driving range. They destroy your night vision and make the runway dangerously dim. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter indicated that the bright lights from this driving range were very dangerous for night operations. It might be a safer operation, while approaching runway 32 at night, if the PIC or left seat pilot were to fly the approach. This driving range light distraction is usually during the spring, summer and fall months, possibly shutting down in the colder winter months. The reporter believes that the lights are on until 2300 hours local during its warm WX operation. The reporter stated that he reported this problem a yr ago to the pit tower and they knew about it. Other companies have also queried the control tower regarding this issue. They stated that they could do nothing about it as the range owner is a 'politician' on the local level and apparently carries some weight with regards to 'keeping the range open.' the reporter had turned in last yr's report to a safety committee and had received a written note back relative to their 'looking into the matter.' his air carrier has recently started a safety reporting system along the lines of ASRS. He turned in a current report to them as well as giving ASRS this report.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VISUAL INTERFERENCE TO AN ACR ACFT WHILE MAKING AN APCH AND LNDG ON RWY 32 AT PIT DURING A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 32 AT PIT AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL THERE ARE VERY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THE R COMING FROM A DRIVING RANGE. THEY DESTROY YOUR NIGHT VISION AND MAKE THE RWY DANGEROUSLY DIM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR INDICATED THAT THE BRIGHT LIGHTS FROM THIS DRIVING RANGE WERE VERY DANGEROUS FOR NIGHT OPS. IT MIGHT BE A SAFER OP, WHILE APCHING RWY 32 AT NIGHT, IF THE PIC OR L SEAT PLT WERE TO FLY THE APCH. THIS DRIVING RANGE LIGHT DISTR IS USUALLY DURING THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL MONTHS, POSSIBLY SHUTTING DOWN IN THE COLDER WINTER MONTHS. THE RPTR BELIEVES THAT THE LIGHTS ARE ON UNTIL 2300 HRS LCL DURING ITS WARM WX OP. THE RPTR STATED THAT HE RPTED THIS PROB A YR AGO TO THE PIT TWR AND THEY KNEW ABOUT IT. OTHER COMPANIES HAVE ALSO QUERIED THE CTL TWR REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT AS THE RANGE OWNER IS A 'POLITICIAN' ON THE LCL LEVEL AND APPARENTLY CARRIES SOME WEIGHT WITH REGARDS TO 'KEEPING THE RANGE OPEN.' THE RPTR HAD TURNED IN LAST YR'S RPT TO A SAFETY COMMITTEE AND HAD RECEIVED A WRITTEN NOTE BACK RELATIVE TO THEIR 'LOOKING INTO THE MATTER.' HIS ACR HAS RECENTLY STARTED A SAFETY RPTING SYS ALONG THE LINES OF ASRS. HE TURNED IN A CURRENT RPT TO THEM AS WELL AS GIVING ASRS THIS 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.