Narrative:

While driving from my home to denton, tx, in august, I observed a large tower under construction. On oct/xa/98, I flew from 0f2 VFR to denton at 3500 ft MSL. I flew next to this tower and observed strobe lights 2/3 the way up and no lights on the top 1/3. At denton, I purchased dfw VFR terminal #52 and noted the tower was not on the chart. I called FSS on my return flight and there were no NOTAMS. My return flight was under dfw approach for flight following. I asked if they were aware of the tower. They said no and their MVA was 3100 ft. I passed the tower at 3200 ft and I thought that was the top. On return home, I called FSS and found mr a was the local tower manager. He said it was sent in too late to make the new VFR terminal chart and he would inform controllers of its location. The tower is 3000 ft MSL. On oct/xa/98 returning VFR from org to 0f2, under ZFW at 4500 ft, I passed the tower again. The controller said he didn't know it was there and there are no NOTAMS. I circled the tower so the controller could mark his scope and talked with supervisor. Called supervisor mr B and he said he would put the word out to pilots and controllers. I have marked chart for approximately location. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter alleges the antenna was constructed by a dallas tv station for digital tv transmission. The reporter believes it should have more lighting due to its size. He was concerned that, at the time, neither the FSS nor the ARTCC or approach control was aware of its completion and its possible hazard to flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT RPTS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A XMISSION TWR 21 MI ESE OF UKW VORTAC. PLT CHKS WITH FTW FSS, ZFW AND DFW CTLRS, AND THEY ARE NOT YET AWARE OF THE POS AND HT OF THE TWR.

Narrative: WHILE DRIVING FROM MY HOME TO DENTON, TX, IN AUGUST, I OBSERVED A LARGE TWR UNDER CONSTRUCTION. ON OCT/XA/98, I FLEW FROM 0F2 VFR TO DENTON AT 3500 FT MSL. I FLEW NEXT TO THIS TWR AND OBSERVED STROBE LIGHTS 2/3 THE WAY UP AND NO LIGHTS ON THE TOP 1/3. AT DENTON, I PURCHASED DFW VFR TERMINAL #52 AND NOTED THE TWR WAS NOT ON THE CHART. I CALLED FSS ON MY RETURN FLT AND THERE WERE NO NOTAMS. MY RETURN FLT WAS UNDER DFW APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING. I ASKED IF THEY WERE AWARE OF THE TWR. THEY SAID NO AND THEIR MVA WAS 3100 FT. I PASSED THE TWR AT 3200 FT AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE TOP. ON RETURN HOME, I CALLED FSS AND FOUND MR A WAS THE LCL TWR MGR. HE SAID IT WAS SENT IN TOO LATE TO MAKE THE NEW VFR TERMINAL CHART AND HE WOULD INFORM CTLRS OF ITS LOCATION. THE TWR IS 3000 FT MSL. ON OCT/XA/98 RETURNING VFR FROM ORG TO 0F2, UNDER ZFW AT 4500 FT, I PASSED THE TWR AGAIN. THE CTLR SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THERE AND THERE ARE NO NOTAMS. I CIRCLED THE TWR SO THE CTLR COULD MARK HIS SCOPE AND TALKED WITH SUPVR. CALLED SUPVR MR B AND HE SAID HE WOULD PUT THE WORD OUT TO PLTS AND CTLRS. I HAVE MARKED CHART FOR APPROX LOCATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ALLEGES THE ANTENNA WAS CONSTRUCTED BY A DALLAS TV STATION FOR DIGITAL TV XMISSION. THE RPTR BELIEVES IT SHOULD HAVE MORE LIGHTING DUE TO ITS SIZE. HE WAS CONCERNED THAT, AT THE TIME, NEITHER THE FSS NOR THE ARTCC OR APCH CTL WAS AWARE OF ITS COMPLETION AND ITS POSSIBLE HAZARD TO FLT.

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.