Tower at aln has difficulty identing aircraft because of rising sun.

Attributes
ACN	457430
Time
Date	199912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aln.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : aln.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation II S2/Bravo
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 8170 flight time type : 2160
ASRS Report	457430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

While descending into alton, il, from the southeast on a visual approach, the tower controller was unable to see us. We were descending from a direction that caused him to look directly into the rising sun. We had great difficulty establishing communication and obtaining landing clearance as the controller was unable to see us. In this situation the controllers could ask us to enter a normal traffic pattern so that we could be properly idented.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR AT ALN HAS DIFFICULTY IDENTING ACFT BECAUSE OF RISING SUN.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING INTO ALTON, IL, FROM THE SE ON A VISUAL APCH, THE TWR CTLR WAS UNABLE TO SEE US. WE WERE DSNDING FROM A DIRECTION THAT CAUSED HIM TO LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE RISING SUN. WE HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY ESTABLISHING COM AND OBTAINING LNDG CLRNC AS THE CTLR WAS UNABLE TO SEE US. IN THIS SIT THE CTLRS COULD ASK US TO ENTER A NORMAL TFC PATTERN SO THAT WE COULD BE PROPERLY IDENTED.

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.