Flight crew of corporate jet refuses landing clearance for runway 13 at stl because of company polic...

Attributes
ACN	140947
Time
Date	199003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 9200 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	140947
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

After breaking out of overcast and calling tower, they asked if we had the airport in sight. I replied 'affirmative' whereupon they cleared us to land runway 13. After the pilot flying said he did not want runway 13, I told the tower we could not accept runway 13. The controller started a discussion about wing span limitations on that runway. I told him it was company policy not to use that runway. (Runway 13 is a converted taxiway that is 75' wide by 6300' long). The tower switched us to runway 12L with no request to clear at any particular taxiway. They sent a widebody transport behind us around and told us to call tower on telephone. I called and was told that we had to accept whatever runway they gave us. I don't think this is true if the PIC feels it is unsafe for any reason. The controller insisted that it is a runway with no restrictions, however the current commercial airport diagram shows a restriction to day VFR less than 12500 pounds landing weight. We weighed 15600 for landing. The local controller interrupted our final checklist at what could be a critical time. I think this and the use of txwys for runways could create dangerous situations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF CORPORATE JET REFUSES LNDG CLRNC FOR RWY 13 AT STL BECAUSE OF COMPANY POLICY AND A CHARTED WEIGHT RESTRICTION WHICH THEIR ACFT EXCEEDED.

Narrative: AFTER BREAKING OUT OF OVCST AND CALLING TWR, THEY ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE' WHEREUPON THEY CLRED US TO LAND RWY 13. AFTER THE PLT FLYING SAID HE DID NOT WANT RWY 13, I TOLD THE TWR WE COULD NOT ACCEPT RWY 13. THE CTLR STARTED A DISCUSSION ABOUT WING SPAN LIMITATIONS ON THAT RWY. I TOLD HIM IT WAS COMPANY POLICY NOT TO USE THAT RWY. (RWY 13 IS A CONVERTED TXWY THAT IS 75' WIDE BY 6300' LONG). THE TWR SWITCHED US TO RWY 12L WITH NO REQUEST TO CLR AT ANY PARTICULAR TXWY. THEY SENT A WDB BEHIND US AROUND AND TOLD US TO CALL TWR ON TELEPHONE. I CALLED AND WAS TOLD THAT WE HAD TO ACCEPT WHATEVER RWY THEY GAVE US. I DON'T THINK THIS IS TRUE IF THE PIC FEELS IT IS UNSAFE FOR ANY REASON. THE CTLR INSISTED THAT IT IS A RWY WITH NO RESTRICTIONS, HOWEVER THE CURRENT COMMERCIAL ARPT DIAGRAM SHOWS A RESTRICTION TO DAY VFR LESS THAN 12500 LBS LNDG WT. WE WEIGHED 15600 FOR LNDG. THE LCL CTLR INTERRUPTED OUR FINAL CHKLIST AT WHAT COULD BE A CRITICAL TIME. I THINK THIS AND THE USE OF TXWYS FOR RWYS COULD CREATE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.

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.

Flight crew of corporate jet refuses landing clearance for runway 13 at stl because of company policy and a charted weight restriction which their aircraft exceeded.