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Flight crew of B737-300 almost overruns a falcon 50 when taxiing for takeoff. The falcon is #4 in line holding for the runway. Position lights are on but no flashing beacon.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 383571 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199710 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | ground : holding ground other : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Falcon 50 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unknown |
| Flight Phase | ground : holding |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1800 |
| ASRS Report | 383571 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
During taxi out to runway 1R at sfo at night. Almost rear- ended a falcon 50 that was #4 in line for takeoff. After noticing the falcon I was able to stop at a safe distance, and then noticed the falcon only had position lights (red, green wingtip and white tail) on, but no red rotating beacon. If the falcon had a beacon on I would have noticed him earlier. His white tail light didn't stand out from other airport lights. Even more unusual was when I had ATC inquire of the falcon's beacon, the falcon then turned on what appeared to be white strobes, one located on top the rudder and the other on the fuselage underside. Evidently the falcon did not have a red beacon, only the strobes. I assume the falcon crew taxies without the strobes as a courtesy to other crews (they're bright). But doing so leaves them hard to see. The FAA should not allow aircraft to be certified without the customary red rotating beacon.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF B737-300 ALMOST OVERRUNS A FALCON 50 WHEN TAXIING FOR TKOF. THE FALCON IS #4 IN LINE HOLDING FOR THE RWY. POS LIGHTS ARE ON BUT NO FLASHING BEACON.
Narrative: DURING TAXI OUT TO RWY 1R AT SFO AT NIGHT. ALMOST REAR- ENDED A FALCON 50 THAT WAS #4 IN LINE FOR TKOF. AFTER NOTICING THE FALCON I WAS ABLE TO STOP AT A SAFE DISTANCE, AND THEN NOTICED THE FALCON ONLY HAD POS LIGHTS (RED, GREEN WINGTIP AND WHITE TAIL) ON, BUT NO RED ROTATING BEACON. IF THE FALCON HAD A BEACON ON I WOULD HAVE NOTICED HIM EARLIER. HIS WHITE TAIL LIGHT DIDN'T STAND OUT FROM OTHER ARPT LIGHTS. EVEN MORE UNUSUAL WAS WHEN I HAD ATC INQUIRE OF THE FALCON'S BEACON, THE FALCON THEN TURNED ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE WHITE STROBES, ONE LOCATED ON TOP THE RUDDER AND THE OTHER ON THE FUSELAGE UNDERSIDE. EVIDENTLY THE FALCON DID NOT HAVE A RED BEACON, ONLY THE STROBES. I ASSUME THE FALCON CREW TAXIES WITHOUT THE STROBES AS A COURTESY TO OTHER CREWS (THEY'RE BRIGHT). BUT DOING SO LEAVES THEM HARD TO SEE. THE FAA SHOULD NOT ALLOW ACFT TO BE CERTIFIED WITHOUT THE CUSTOMARY RED ROTATING BEACON.
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.