GA1421 - 'Near collision with runway lights'
Initial Report
Report text (summarized to protect reporter’s confidentiality)
I was on a checkout flight on an unfamiliar aircraft type, conducting circuits with an instructor. On the third take-off I applied insufficient backpressure and the aircraft did not rotate cleanly. This resulted in a drift to the left and the aircraft nearly hit the runway lights. My instructor took the yoke and steered us clear. This was a messy take-off and I accept pilot error – however, its well within the kind of thing which occasionally happens – especially in an unfamiliar aircraft. The presence of these runway lights, which project some [distance] above the surface, are positioned someway inside the hard surface edge and along the length of the runway, which introduces a serious hazard on this runway. They should be replaced with flush mounted lights. I am aware of a number of other incidents with these lights over the last year since their installation.
comments
Company Comment
CHIRP contacted the airfield operations senior manager and discussed the type and positioning of the runway lighting. The Ops manager commented that raised lighting exists down the length of the single main runway inside of the hard surface edge, and the reason why they are raised and inboard of the edge is simply one of cost as an additional £1M would have been needed to fit flush lighting instead of the raised–type currently installed. The airfield website page, used by visiting and locally based pilots, states clearly the lights are elevated and in addition the information is also provided as part of PPR confirmation.
CHIRP Comment
Lighting placed in this way or any other structural changes to a runway width should be highlighted in the UK AIP as the official source document. On investigation using online e–AIS the entry for this particular airfield does not state specifically that the runway edge lighting is elevated – this may impact what is provided to users by aeronautical information providers in electronic flight aid apps. However, following confirmation by the airfield Ops manager, CHIRP is aware that the positioning of the runway lights is well communicated to pilots and is included in pre-flight airfield briefs. This airfield is not alone in having runway and taxy lights placed some way inside the hard surface edge. This is normally done in order to reduce the approved and certified width of the runway and will have appropriate CAA approval to do so.
Key Issues relating to this report
Possible Human factors considerations that could contribute to such an event:
- Knowledge – are airfield users aware of the raised lighting?
- Norms – variability of human performance during flying training on an unfamiliar aircraft type
- Stress/Pressure – when performance is being assessed in an unfamiliar aircraft by an instructor/examiner
A positive human factors aspect of this report is the quick reaction of the instructor in taking control and associated avoiding action for which they should be commended.