ATCT local controller becomes aware of closed runway at controller relief briefing, but forgets to a...

Attributes
ACN	409843
Time
Date	199807
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : csg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Twin Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller radar : 10 flight time total : 60
ASRS Report	409843
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Tower was being staffed by 1 person. I relieved him. During briefing, he said 'taxiway D4 is closed.' I saw a crew burning weeds in the pavement cracks and filling the cracks with some type of tar. I listened to the ATIS and the taxiway closure was not on it, so I recorded a new one. A few mins later, an IFR aircraft called for taxi and I cleared him to taxi to runway 23. I did not issue a restr and he did not report having the ATIS. I realized he didn't have the ATIS (or an IFR clearance), but was busy, so I planned to check on these momentarily. I looked up and saw him squeezing between the traffic cones onto the closed runway. After chastising him for this, I asked if he had the ATIS, which he did. Then I checked with mcn AFSS, who said there was no NOTAM issued on the closure. I then called my supervisor (in the TRACON), who was also unaware of the closure, but said he would check on it. When he called back, he had talked with airport management. He said that the NOTAM had been accidentally canceled the day before. Then he said that the NOTAM was not going to be reissued, but I should direct aircraft away from that area. I reconfirmed this, then took the NOTAM off the ATIS and tried to remember not to use the taxiway. The FAA has a reasonably good system in place for things like this (NOTAMS). I don't understand why there is a reluctance to use this system. I should also point out that the area was marked off with average size traffic cones (about 24 inches) heavily splattered with black tar and spaced 10-15 ft apart. It would seem better to require taller, visible cones, placed closer together.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR BECOMES AWARE OF CLOSED RWY AT CTLR RELIEF BRIEFING, BUT FORGETS TO ADVISE PLT OF CONDITION WHEN ISSUING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. CTLR, DISTR WITH OTHER TASKS, OBSERVES C303 MANEUVERING BTWN CLOSURE CONES AND ONTO CLOSED RWY BEFORE ERROR CAUGHT.

Narrative: TWR WAS BEING STAFFED BY 1 PERSON. I RELIEVED HIM. DURING BRIEFING, HE SAID 'TXWY D4 IS CLOSED.' I SAW A CREW BURNING WEEDS IN THE PAVEMENT CRACKS AND FILLING THE CRACKS WITH SOME TYPE OF TAR. I LISTENED TO THE ATIS AND THE TXWY CLOSURE WAS NOT ON IT, SO I RECORDED A NEW ONE. A FEW MINS LATER, AN IFR ACFT CALLED FOR TAXI AND I CLRED HIM TO TAXI TO RWY 23. I DID NOT ISSUE A RESTR AND HE DID NOT RPT HAVING THE ATIS. I REALIZED HE DIDN'T HAVE THE ATIS (OR AN IFR CLRNC), BUT WAS BUSY, SO I PLANNED TO CHK ON THESE MOMENTARILY. I LOOKED UP AND SAW HIM SQUEEZING BTWN THE TFC CONES ONTO THE CLOSED RWY. AFTER CHASTISING HIM FOR THIS, I ASKED IF HE HAD THE ATIS, WHICH HE DID. THEN I CHKED WITH MCN AFSS, WHO SAID THERE WAS NO NOTAM ISSUED ON THE CLOSURE. I THEN CALLED MY SUPVR (IN THE TRACON), WHO WAS ALSO UNAWARE OF THE CLOSURE, BUT SAID HE WOULD CHK ON IT. WHEN HE CALLED BACK, HE HAD TALKED WITH ARPT MGMNT. HE SAID THAT THE NOTAM HAD BEEN ACCIDENTALLY CANCELED THE DAY BEFORE. THEN HE SAID THAT THE NOTAM WAS NOT GOING TO BE REISSUED, BUT I SHOULD DIRECT ACFT AWAY FROM THAT AREA. I RECONFIRMED THIS, THEN TOOK THE NOTAM OFF THE ATIS AND TRIED TO REMEMBER NOT TO USE THE TXWY. THE FAA HAS A REASONABLY GOOD SYS IN PLACE FOR THINGS LIKE THIS (NOTAMS). I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS A RELUCTANCE TO USE THIS SYS. I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT THE AREA WAS MARKED OFF WITH AVERAGE SIZE TFC CONES (ABOUT 24 INCHES) HEAVILY SPLATTERED WITH BLACK TAR AND SPACED 10-15 FT APART. IT WOULD SEEM BETTER TO REQUIRE TALLER, VISIBLE CONES, PLACED CLOSER TOGETHER.

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.

ATCT local controller becomes aware of closed runway at controller relief briefing, but forgets to advise pilot of condition when issuing taxi instructions. Controller, distraction with other tasks, observes C303 maneuvering between closure cones and onto closed runway before error caught.