SCT CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING TEST BEACON NEAR SNA THAT CAUSES FALSE TCASII ALERTS TO ARR ACFT.

Date: 2005-03 · Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer · Phase: descent

Anomalies: other-test-beacon-erroneous-alt-info

Synopsis

SCT CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING TEST BEACON NEAR SNA THAT CAUSES FALSE TCASII ALERTS TO ARR ACFT.

Narrative

THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF A TROUBLESOME SIT THAT OCCURS NUMEROUS TIMES DAILY. ARRS TO SNA WHEN RWY 19R IS THE ACTIVE RWY ARE USUALLY ASSIGNED THE KAYOH 4 ARR FROM THE E. KAYOH INTXN IS LOCATED AT THE SLI 076 DEG RADIAL; 23.31. 2 MI TO THE NW IS A TEST BEACON THAT SQUAWKS A CODE WITHOUT ANY MODE C INFO. THE MVA AT THE TEST BEACON LOCATION IS 5200 FT; WHILE THE EOV MAP PUTS THE BEACON ON THE LINE BTWN 6200-3400 FT. IN ORDER TO GIVE AN ACFT A L TURN ONTO THE ILS TO RWY 19R; IT IS NECESSARY TO VECTOR THE ACFT OVER OR NEAR THE TEST BEACON. THIS INVARIABLY CAUSES THE TCASII ON THE ACFT TO BROADCAST A TFC ALERT IN THE COCKPIT WHICH RESULTS IN: 1) A REPETITION OF CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE SAID ACFT AFTER THE PLT ASKS ABOUT TFC (WITH AN EXPLANATION THAT THERE IS NO TFC); 2) THE PLT BEING UNABLE TO HEAR CTL INSTRUCTIONS BECAUSE OF THE TA; DOUBLING CTLR WORKLOAD; OR 3) ALL OF THE ABOVE. IT IS ALREADY A VERY DIFFICULT CTL POS WITH A VERY SHORT FINAL AND NO AIRSPACE. I WANT TO REITERATE THAT THIS HAPPENS MANY TIMES EVERY DAY. PLEASE HELP TO REMOVE THE TEST BEACON; OR AT LEAST INSTALL SOME ALT ENCODING INFO.

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