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A DC8 first officer reported that the GS at sjc is notamed OTS, requiring that the runway 30L localizer DME be used. As the crew approached the runway, they noted that the PAPI was so dim that it was useless. The local controller said that the city of san jose had placed the PAPI on a light sensor.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 474471 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200006 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sjc.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sjc.tower tower : rno.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-8 61 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer only : 30l |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision arrival : profile descent |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 474471 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airport |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Situations | |
| Airport | lighting : sjc.airport procedure or policy : sjc.airport |
Narrative:
Sjc runway 30L glide path notamed OTS from may/xa/00 to jul/xa/00 due to runway construction. Active approach is localizer runway 30L. Runway 30L has a PAPI-left. Upon descending below cloud layer at 1000 ft AGL, we noticed that the PAPI appeared to be OTS. The captain queried the local controller who stated that 'the city of san jose had the PAPI on a light sensor that adjusted the intensity of the lights.' the time was approximately XA58. The ambient light below the stratus layer was such that the PAPI was not adequate to use for guidance until we were 1 mi from the approach end of runway 30L. At that point we were below the glide path. Adjustments were made. Upon clearing the runway, I questioned the ground controller who indicated that they have had numerous complaints on the PAPI intensity during certain time periods (dawn/dusk and overcast skies). The controller indicated that they have had discussions with the city of san jose concerning the light sensor problems but to no avail. Here we have a non precision approach with no glide path guidance because of a need to save money on their electric bill. The PAPI should be removed from the light sensor system until the GS system is restored for runway 30L.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC8 FO RPTED THAT THE GS AT SJC IS NOTAMED OTS, REQUIRING THAT THE RWY 30L LOC DME BE USED. AS THE CREW APCHED THE RWY, THEY NOTED THAT THE PAPI WAS SO DIM THAT IT WAS USELESS. THE LCL CTLR SAID THAT THE CITY OF SAN JOSE HAD PLACED THE PAPI ON A LIGHT SENSOR.
Narrative: SJC RWY 30L GLIDE PATH NOTAMED OTS FROM MAY/XA/00 TO JUL/XA/00 DUE TO RWY CONSTRUCTION. ACTIVE APCH IS LOC RWY 30L. RWY 30L HAS A PAPI-L. UPON DSNDING BELOW CLOUD LAYER AT 1000 FT AGL, WE NOTICED THAT THE PAPI APPEARED TO BE OTS. THE CAPT QUERIED THE LCL CTLR WHO STATED THAT 'THE CITY OF SAN JOSE HAD THE PAPI ON A LIGHT SENSOR THAT ADJUSTED THE INTENSITY OF THE LIGHTS.' THE TIME WAS APPROX XA58. THE AMBIENT LIGHT BELOW THE STRATUS LAYER WAS SUCH THAT THE PAPI WAS NOT ADEQUATE TO USE FOR GUIDANCE UNTIL WE WERE 1 MI FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 30L. AT THAT POINT WE WERE BELOW THE GLIDE PATH. ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE. UPON CLRING THE RWY, I QUESTIONED THE GND CTLR WHO INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE PAPI INTENSITY DURING CERTAIN TIME PERIODS (DAWN/DUSK AND OVCST SKIES). THE CTLR INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY OF SAN JOSE CONCERNING THE LIGHT SENSOR PROBS BUT TO NO AVAIL. HERE WE HAVE A NON PRECISION APCH WITH NO GLIDE PATH GUIDANCE BECAUSE OF A NEED TO SAVE MONEY ON THEIR ELECTRIC BILL. THE PAPI SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE LIGHT SENSOR SYS UNTIL THE GS SYS IS RESTORED FOR RWY 30L.
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.