Narrative:

Due to the proximity of 2 airports, rapid city regional and ellsworth AFB, the air traffic area's are split. The boundary used is a ridge of hills between us, undiscernable at night. Rapid city has no radar. The only procedure in writing is a memo from rapid city tower chief stating 'if aircraft even appear to enter the TCA air traffic area, coordinate with their tower.' this aircraft did not appear to be entering their air traffic area, contrary to a report he had done so by the ellsworth radar approach controller. Air carrier X was on a left base for runway 14 at rapid city apparently had traffic departing runway 13 at the AFB in sight, previously issued to him by approach. Without the aid of radar in the cabin attendant, night perception apparently contributed to this error. Additionally, the pilot had been clrd for a visual approach, clrd to land on initial contact with tower and I believe he is required to avoid entering another air traffic area once radar is no longer provided. Radar service was terminated by approach and he was informed of such. I believe to prevent this from recurring, a new procedure needs to be implemented. Possibly having approach control to continue flight following and advise us if there's a conflict, possibly NOTAM action, possibly obtaining radar at rapid city. The ridge line itself is not adequately lit to provide the pilot or controller proper reference for airspace matters.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ON VISUAL APCH TO RAP ARPT, ACR MAY HAVE PENETRATED ADJACENT MIL ARPT (RCA) ARPT TRAFFIC AREA.

Narrative: DUE TO THE PROX OF 2 ARPTS, RAPID CITY REGIONAL AND ELLSWORTH AFB, THE ATA'S ARE SPLIT. THE BOUNDARY USED IS A RIDGE OF HILLS BETWEEN US, UNDISCERNABLE AT NIGHT. RAPID CITY HAS NO RADAR. THE ONLY PROCEDURE IN WRITING IS A MEMO FROM RAPID CITY TWR CHIEF STATING 'IF ACFT EVEN APPEAR TO ENTER THE TCA ATA, COORDINATE WITH THEIR TWR.' THIS ACFT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ENTERING THEIR ATA, CONTRARY TO A REPORT HE HAD DONE SO BY THE ELLSWORTH RADAR APCH CTLR. ACR X WAS ON A LEFT BASE FOR RWY 14 AT RAPID CITY APPARENTLY HAD TFC DEPARTING RWY 13 AT THE AFB IN SIGHT, PREVIOUSLY ISSUED TO HIM BY APCH. WITHOUT THE AID OF RADAR IN THE CAB, NIGHT PERCEPTION APPARENTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ERROR. ADDITIONALLY, THE PLT HAD BEEN CLRD FOR A VISUAL APCH, CLRD TO LAND ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH TWR AND I BELIEVE HE IS REQUIRED TO AVOID ENTERING ANOTHER ATA ONCE RADAR IS NO LONGER PROVIDED. RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED BY APCH AND HE WAS INFORMED OF SUCH. I BELIEVE TO PREVENT THIS FROM RECURRING, A NEW PROCEDURE NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED. POSSIBLY HAVING APCH CTL TO CONTINUE FLT FOLLOWING AND ADVISE US IF THERE'S A CONFLICT, POSSIBLY NOTAM ACTION, POSSIBLY OBTAINING RADAR AT RAPID CITY. THE RIDGE LINE ITSELF IS NOT ADEQUATELY LIT TO PROVIDE THE PLT OR CTLR PROPER REFERENCE FOR AIRSPACE MATTERS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.