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Reporter states that an unlighted hill approximately 10 DME north of the airport is a hazardous condition to pilots who may not be aware of its existence. Reporter observed flight descending toward the obstruction and issued a low altitude alert and a maintain altitude based on the pilot's descent rate.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 331029 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199603 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rno |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6161 msl bound upper : 6700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : rno |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | controller radar : 10 flight time total : 4500 |
| ASRS Report | 331029 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I cleared a B73S for a visual approach about 15 mi from the airport. When the aircraft descended through 6800 ft it was 2 mi from a hill 6161 ft and I issued a low altitude alert and advised the pilot not to descend below 6700 ft. The pilot complied and things worked out fine this time. The main problem is that the hill is directly on final and near invisible on a dark night, there is no light of any kind on it. It feel an obstruction light on the hill would resolve this problem and prevent a possible accident. Callback conversation with rno FSDO revealed the following information: analyst called rno FSDO for their input regarding the ATC recommendation for an obstruction light on the hill. FSDO specialist thought an FYI bulletin would be an excellent idea and that the airport manager, ATC and FSDO should collectively evaluate the recommendation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTR STATES THAT AN UNLIGHTED HILL APPROX 10 DME N OF THE ARPT IS A HAZARDOUS CONDITION TO PLTS WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE OF ITS EXISTENCE. RPTR OBSERVED FLT DSNDING TOWARD THE OBSTRUCTION AND ISSUED A LOW ALT ALERT AND A MAINTAIN ALT BASED ON THE PLT'S DSCNT RATE.
Narrative: I CLRED A B73S FOR A VISUAL APCH ABOUT 15 MI FROM THE ARPT. WHEN THE ACFT DSNDED THROUGH 6800 FT IT WAS 2 MI FROM A HILL 6161 FT AND I ISSUED A LOW ALT ALERT AND ADVISED THE PLT NOT TO DSND BELOW 6700 FT. THE PLT COMPLIED AND THINGS WORKED OUT FINE THIS TIME. THE MAIN PROB IS THAT THE HILL IS DIRECTLY ON FINAL AND NEAR INVISIBLE ON A DARK NIGHT, THERE IS NO LIGHT OF ANY KIND ON IT. IT FEEL AN OBSTRUCTION LIGHT ON THE HILL WOULD RESOLVE THIS PROB AND PREVENT A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RNO FSDO REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ANALYST CALLED RNO FSDO FOR THEIR INPUT REGARDING THE ATC RECOMMENDATION FOR AN OBSTRUCTION LIGHT ON THE HILL. FSDO SPECIALIST THOUGHT AN FYI BULLETIN WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT IDEA AND THAT THE ARPT MGR, ATC AND FSDO SHOULD COLLECTIVELY EVALUATE THE RECOMMENDATION.
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.