AN ACR PLT COMPLAINS ABOUT VERY BRIGHT LIGHTS OFF THE END OF RWYS 33 AT BWI.

1993-06 · NASA ASRS report 243116

Date: 1993-06 · Aircraft: Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng

Anomalies: other-unspecified

Synopsis

AN ACR PLT COMPLAINS ABOUT VERY BRIGHT LIGHTS OFF THE END OF RWYS 33 AT BWI.

Narrative

SLIGHTLY TO THE N OF THE FINALS FOR RWY 33L&R AT BWI; A NUMBER OF EXTREMELY BRIGHT LIGHTS HAVE BEEN PLACED. (TWR THINKS IT IS A GOLF DRIVING RANGE.) AT NIGHT THEY COMPLETELY DESTROY NIGHT VISION AT A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. I WAS VFR AND IT WAS VERY DISTRACTING. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT MVFR OR TRANSITION FROM IMC WITH A LOW CLOUD DECK; THE LIGHT'S AFFECT ON VISION COULD BE TRULY DANGEROUS. EVEN FROM THE TERMINAL RAMP THE SKY IS LIT UP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTING CAPT STATES THAT THESE LIGHTS ARE AT DRIVING RANGE. THEY ARE INSTALLED AT GND LEVEL AND SHINE RIGHT UP INTO THE APCH PATH OF RWYS 33. THE RPTR HAS NOTIFIED THE APA; ALPA; AND NATCA AS WELL AS BWI TWR. THE FAA IS LEANING ON THE DRIVING RANGE OPERATOR; SO FAR WITH NO SUCCESS. THE RPTR FEELS THAT THESE LIGHTS ARE A DEFINITE HAZARD; BOTH IN VMC AND IMC. A REPRESENTATIVE AT THE BWI TWR STATES THAT THE MARYLAND AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN IN ON THIS INCIDENT AND IS LEANING ON THE DRIVING RANGE TO CHANGE THE LIGHTS. IT HAS ASKED FOR AN FAA FLT CHK TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF HAZARD AND HAS ASKED BWI TWR TO FORWARD ALL COMPLAINTS TO STRENGTHEN ITS POS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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