Narrative:

The city of cleveland is in the process of moving a very large pile of dirt that was in the path of the new runway that is currently under construction. They are relocating this pile to a location that, I believe, may create a safety hazard. It is being moved to a point approximately 1/2 mi off the approach end of runway 6R. The northern end of the pile is almost directly on the centerline of the runway. I would estimate the pile to be 50 ft high and growing. I believe this new location creates a safety hazard for aircraft departing runway 24L that may experience an engine failure. At the very least this new obstacle should be taken into account by our runway analysis. Also, runway 6R is a CAT III runway and this new obstacle may impact the minimums for that runway's low visibility approachs. It is my belief that the best solution would be to remove this dirt to a new location much farther from the runway centerline. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this dirt pile had been moved from a lateral position as referenced to the runways to a more aligned position so as to accommodate the construction of a new parallel runway to the southeast at cle. Reporter was just in cle and stated that the growth has stopped but the pile has been hydro-seeded for grass. Pilot stated that at 200 ft AGL there was about 150 ft clearance, pile being about 50 ft high. The pile is lined up just to the edge of the runway, not extending to the centerline. The seeding indicates that no movement of the dirt is planned in the near future. This situation has been brought up in the recent airline/FAA review panel meeting, so it is being looked at officially.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO ACFT RPTED BY A B737-400 FO. A 50 FT HIGH PILE OF DIRT EXISTS 1/2 MI OFF THE END OF RWY 6R AT CLE, OH.

Narrative: THE CITY OF CLEVELAND IS IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING A VERY LARGE PILE OF DIRT THAT WAS IN THE PATH OF THE NEW RWY THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THEY ARE RELOCATING THIS PILE TO A LOCATION THAT, I BELIEVE, MAY CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD. IT IS BEING MOVED TO A POINT APPROX 1/2 MI OFF THE APCH END OF RWY 6R. THE NORTHERN END OF THE PILE IS ALMOST DIRECTLY ON THE CTRLINE OF THE RWY. I WOULD ESTIMATE THE PILE TO BE 50 FT HIGH AND GROWING. I BELIEVE THIS NEW LOCATION CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ACFT DEPARTING RWY 24L THAT MAY EXPERIENCE AN ENG FAILURE. AT THE VERY LEAST THIS NEW OBSTACLE SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY OUR RWY ANALYSIS. ALSO, RWY 6R IS A CAT III RWY AND THIS NEW OBSTACLE MAY IMPACT THE MINIMUMS FOR THAT RWY'S LOW VISIBILITY APCHS. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE BEST SOLUTION WOULD BE TO REMOVE THIS DIRT TO A NEW LOCATION MUCH FARTHER FROM THE RWY CTRLINE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS DIRT PILE HAD BEEN MOVED FROM A LATERAL POS AS REFED TO THE RWYS TO A MORE ALIGNED POS SO AS TO ACCOMMODATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PARALLEL RWY TO THE SE AT CLE. RPTR WAS JUST IN CLE AND STATED THAT THE GROWTH HAS STOPPED BUT THE PILE HAS BEEN HYDRO-SEEDED FOR GRASS. PLT STATED THAT AT 200 FT AGL THERE WAS ABOUT 150 FT CLRNC, PILE BEING ABOUT 50 FT HIGH. THE PILE IS LINED UP JUST TO THE EDGE OF THE RWY, NOT EXTENDING TO THE CTRLINE. THE SEEDING INDICATES THAT NO MOVEMENT OF THE DIRT IS PLANNED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THIS SIT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THE RECENT AIRLINE/FAA REVIEW PANEL MEETING, SO IT IS BEING LOOKED AT OFFICIALLY.

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.