Airport markings temporary runway displaced threshold.

Attributes
ACN	321370
Time
Date	199511
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tpa tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach 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 : 150 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	321370
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X, a B727-200, received ATIS which indicated a displaced threshold of 1000 ft for runway 36L. From about 5 mi out on final, until about 1 1/2 mi on final, all 3 cockpit crew members attempted to identify the markings associated with the displaced threshold. We were unable to do so and inquired with local as to whether the displaced threshold was actually there. Local indicated that the 'temporary' markings were there, but were very difficult to see, and that many other aircraft had complained about them, but that they were 'FAA approved' (local's words). We finally saw 2 white bars, in the grass, opposite the 1000 ft stripe on the runway when we were about 200 ft AGL, that is far too low to do much about correcting a flight path. The main point is: the 'temporary' marking for the displaced threshold is totally inadequate, irrespective of any ATIS advisory.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT MARKINGS TEMPORARY RWY DISPLACED THRESHOLD.

Narrative: ACR X, A B727-200, RECEIVED ATIS WHICH INDICATED A DISPLACED THRESHOLD OF 1000 FT FOR RWY 36L. FROM ABOUT 5 MI OUT ON FINAL, UNTIL ABOUT 1 1/2 MI ON FINAL, ALL 3 COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS ATTEMPTED TO IDENT THE MARKINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD. WE WERE UNABLE TO DO SO AND INQUIRED WITH LOCAL AS TO WHETHER THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD WAS ACTUALLY THERE. LCL INDICATED THAT THE 'TEMPORARY' MARKINGS WERE THERE, BUT WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE, AND THAT MANY OTHER ACFT HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THEM, BUT THAT THEY WERE 'FAA APPROVED' (LCL'S WORDS). WE FINALLY SAW 2 WHITE BARS, IN THE GRASS, OPPOSITE THE 1000 FT STRIPE ON THE RWY WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 200 FT AGL, THAT IS FAR TOO LOW TO DO MUCH ABOUT CORRECTING A FLT PATH. THE MAIN POINT IS: THE 'TEMPORARY' MARKING FOR THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE, IRRESPECTIVE OF ANY ATIS ADVISORY.

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.