Airport equipment problem runway lights.

Attributes
ACN	322787
Time
Date	199504
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller non radar : 13
ASRS Report	322787
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	oversight : airport manager
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

On apr/mon/95, an unsatisfactory condition report was submitted concerning the automatic activation of airfield lighting through use of the cabin's airfield lighting control system ATC color cathode ray tube. When inputting the current visibility and day/night condition, this unit will automatically set the airfield lighting to an appropriate setting. However, the lighting panel instead sets the airfield lighting contrary to settings required by FAA handbook 7110.65 and jfk tower SOP, when the automatic activation feature is utilized. Although the panel allows the selection of each lighting component manually, this second method is cumbersome and time- consuming, and distracts the user from other, more critical duties (ie, control of air traffic). Many tower personnel appear unaware that the panel sets the airfield lighting incorrectly when the automatic feature is used. This results in the airfield lighting being set at intensities inappropriate for the visibility and day/night conditions, and contrary to FAA and facility orders. This could contribute to or cause an accident, incident, or runway incursion. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the problem was corrected in dec/95.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT EQUIP PROB RWY LIGHTS.

Narrative: ON APR/MON/95, AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPT WAS SUBMITTED CONCERNING THE AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION OF AIRFIELD LIGHTING THROUGH USE OF THE CABIN'S AIRFIELD LIGHTING CTL SYS ATC COLOR CATHODE RAY TUBE. WHEN INPUTTING THE CURRENT VISIBILITY AND DAY/NIGHT CONDITION, THIS UNIT WILL AUTOMATICALLY SET THE AIRFIELD LIGHTING TO AN APPROPRIATE SETTING. HOWEVER, THE LIGHTING PANEL INSTEAD SETS THE AIRFIELD LIGHTING CONTRARY TO SETTINGS REQUIRED BY FAA HANDBOOK 7110.65 AND JFK TWR SOP, WHEN THE AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION FEATURE IS UTILIZED. ALTHOUGH THE PANEL ALLOWS THE SELECTION OF EACH LIGHTING COMPONENT MANUALLY, THIS SECOND METHOD IS CUMBERSOME AND TIME- CONSUMING, AND DISTRACTS THE USER FROM OTHER, MORE CRITICAL DUTIES (IE, CTL OF AIR TFC). MANY TWR PERSONNEL APPEAR UNAWARE THAT THE PANEL SETS THE AIRFIELD LIGHTING INCORRECTLY WHEN THE AUTOMATIC FEATURE IS USED. THIS RESULTS IN THE AIRFIELD LIGHTING BEING SET AT INTENSITIES INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE VISIBILITY AND DAY/NIGHT CONDITIONS, AND CONTRARY TO FAA AND FACILITY ORDERS. THIS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, INCIDENT, OR RWY INCURSION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE PROB WAS CORRECTED IN DEC/95.

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.