Narrative:

The lancair crossed runway 23L/5R without a clearance. I was unable to see that aircraft was on the runway due to our tower ht. Another aircraft warned me the lancair was on the runway. Our tower is less than 1/2 the ht that FAA standards say it should be. If another aircraft had been landing he most likely would have hit the lancair. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter clarified the problem of not being able to see aircraft, occurs at night. He said lights coming from the terminal side of the airport are very bright and blind the controllers view of aircraft operating on runway 05R/23L and the terminal area. The lights are on the terminal, hotels, car dealer lots, and vehicles on a busy freeway. The tower has had discussions with local congressman's aide, the regional office, and tenants across the field. The reporter said they were told it could cost 6 to 10 million dollars to relocate the tower and no money is available. The reporter also commented that tys airport is number 10 in nation for runway incursions. He said an evaluation concluded that the tower should be approximately 30 ft higher to give the controllers a better angle and view of the terminal area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TWR CTLR AT TYS CLAIMS THE LOW HT OF THE TWR PREVENTED HIM FROM SEEING A SMA ACFT REENTERING THE RWY WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: THE LANCAIR CROSSED RWY 23L/5R WITHOUT A CLRNC. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THAT ACFT WAS ON THE RWY DUE TO OUR TWR HT. ANOTHER ACFT WARNED ME THE LANCAIR WAS ON THE RWY. OUR TWR IS LESS THAN 1/2 THE HT THAT FAA STANDARDS SAY IT SHOULD BE. IF ANOTHER ACFT HAD BEEN LNDG HE MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE HIT THE LANCAIR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CLARIFIED THE PROB OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE ACFT, OCCURS AT NIGHT. HE SAID LIGHTS COMING FROM THE TERMINAL SIDE OF THE ARPT ARE VERY BRIGHT AND BLIND THE CTLRS VIEW OF ACFT OPERATING ON RWY 05R/23L AND THE TERMINAL AREA. THE LIGHTS ARE ON THE TERMINAL, HOTELS, CAR DEALER LOTS, AND VEHICLES ON A BUSY FREEWAY. THE TWR HAS HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH LOCAL CONGRESSMAN'S AIDE, THE REGIONAL OFFICE, AND TENANTS ACROSS THE FIELD. THE RPTR SAID THEY WERE TOLD IT COULD COST 6 TO 10 MILLION DOLLARS TO RELOCATE THE TWR AND NO MONEY IS AVAILABLE. THE RPTR ALSO COMMENTED THAT TYS ARPT IS NUMBER 10 IN NATION FOR RWY INCURSIONS. HE SAID AN EVALUATION CONCLUDED THAT THE TWR SHOULD BE APPROX 30 FT HIGHER TO GIVE THE CTLRS A BETTER ANGLE AND VIEW OF THE TERMINAL AREA.

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.