DC9 flight crew alerts eri tower of flare gun incident on 2 mi final.

Attributes
ACN	510185
Time
Date	200105
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eri.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eri.tracon
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 6
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 41
ASRS Report	510185
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

On final approach for runway 6, 2 mi from runway, flying over a golf course, 2 flares were discharged from persons on the ground to start a golf tournament. The DC9 was flying directly overhead and 'both' flares were actually observed by several passenger on the aircraft. The passenger brought this to the attention of the captain of the aircraft, who notified ATC. I called the operator of the golf course who admitted that the flares were shot off by the employees of the gold course. This freak incident could have been a major aircraft explosion had the flares hit the fuel tanks. I see this as a warning to all golf courses located near airports to change the use of flare guns to start tournaments. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that flight crew reports from passenger claimed the flare came within immediate proximity of the aircraft. The flare gun was utilized by the event coordinator to start a shot gun golf event. FAA management effected contact with the golf coordinator and the FAA negotiated a change in practice for all subsequent golf events.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 FLC ALERTS ERI TWR OF FLARE GUN INCIDENT ON 2 MI FINAL.

Narrative: ON FINAL APCH FOR RWY 6, 2 MI FROM RWY, FLYING OVER A GOLF COURSE, 2 FLARES WERE DISCHARGED FROM PERSONS ON THE GND TO START A GOLF TOURNAMENT. THE DC9 WAS FLYING DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AND 'BOTH' FLARES WERE ACTUALLY OBSERVED BY SEVERAL PAX ON THE ACFT. THE PAX BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTN OF THE CAPT OF THE ACFT, WHO NOTIFIED ATC. I CALLED THE OPERATOR OF THE GOLF COURSE WHO ADMITTED THAT THE FLARES WERE SHOT OFF BY THE EMPLOYEES OF THE GOLD COURSE. THIS FREAK INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ACFT EXPLOSION HAD THE FLARES HIT THE FUEL TANKS. I SEE THIS AS A WARNING TO ALL GOLF COURSES LOCATED NEAR ARPTS TO CHANGE THE USE OF FLARE GUNS TO START TOURNAMENTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT FLC RPTS FROM PAX CLAIMED THE FLARE CAME WITHIN IMMEDIATE PROX OF THE ACFT. THE FLARE GUN WAS UTILIZED BY THE EVENT COORDINATOR TO START A SHOT GUN GOLF EVENT. FAA MGMNT EFFECTED CONTACT WITH THE GOLF COORDINATOR AND THE FAA NEGOTIATED A CHANGE IN PRACTICE FOR ALL SUBSEQUENT GOLF EVENTS.

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.