Narrative:

How problem arose: cleared for visibility approach approximately 10 NM from airport to runway 21T (localizer only, no VASI, no REIL, no warning lights ignited). Contributing factors: mend and equipment located on approach end of 21R at dtw metropolitan, necessitating runway threshold to be displaced 1950'. 3 lights either side of delineated displaced threshold (lights were not illuminated and, having clear lenses, were not visible on final approach plate). 3 painted yellow chevrons marked area prior to displaced threshold. (Chevrons were not wide enough nor bold enough to alert/guide pilots to displaced threshold). Early evening sun in southwest sky contributed to obscuration of chevrons and displaced threshold. International orange fencing in work area was distracting and misleading. Finally, 6 KTS of airspeed were lost at approximately 100' AGL due to wind gusts. How problem discovered/corrective actions: the actual location of the displaced threshold was discovered just prior to flare, necessitating power application in order to clear threshold demarcation (in addition to compensating for airspeed loss). Recommendations: tower should alert flight crew re: displaced threshold following issuance of landing clearance; ie, 'be advised 21R threshold displaced 1950' from landing end of runway.' further, temporary REIL and appropriate displaced threshold lights should be installed, and highly lighted and visible during all operations. Finally, lead-in chevrons must stand out more in order to lead pilots to displaced threshold. Supplemental information from acn 123612: the ATIS mentioned a displaced threshold with 8550' remaining.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARRIVING WDB VERY NEARLY LANDED ON OCCUPIED RWY UNDERRUN PRIOR TO DISPLACED THRESHOLD.

Narrative: HOW PROB AROSE: CLRED FOR VIS APCH APPROX 10 NM FROM ARPT TO RWY 21T (LOC ONLY, NO VASI, NO REIL, NO WARNING LIGHTS IGNITED). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: MEND AND EQUIP LOCATED ON APCH END OF 21R AT DTW METRO, NECESSITATING RWY THRESHOLD TO BE DISPLACED 1950'. 3 LIGHTS EITHER SIDE OF DELINEATED DISPLACED THRESHOLD (LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED AND, HAVING CLEAR LENSES, WERE NOT VISIBLE ON FINAL APCH PLATE). 3 PAINTED YELLOW CHEVRONS MARKED AREA PRIOR TO DISPLACED THRESHOLD. (CHEVRONS WERE NOT WIDE ENOUGH NOR BOLD ENOUGH TO ALERT/GUIDE PLTS TO DISPLACED THRESHOLD). EARLY EVENING SUN IN SW SKY CONTRIBUTED TO OBSCURATION OF CHEVRONS AND DISPLACED THRESHOLD. INTL ORANGE FENCING IN WORK AREA WAS DISTRACTING AND MISLEADING. FINALLY, 6 KTS OF AIRSPD WERE LOST AT APPROX 100' AGL DUE TO WIND GUSTS. HOW PROB DISCOVERED/CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: THE ACTUAL LOCATION OF THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD WAS DISCOVERED JUST PRIOR TO FLARE, NECESSITATING PWR APPLICATION IN ORDER TO CLR THRESHOLD DEMARCATION (IN ADDITION TO COMPENSATING FOR AIRSPD LOSS). RECOMMENDATIONS: TWR SHOULD ALERT FLT CREW RE: DISPLACED THRESHOLD FOLLOWING ISSUANCE OF LNDG CLRNC; IE, 'BE ADVISED 21R THRESHOLD DISPLACED 1950' FROM LNDG END OF RWY.' FURTHER, TEMPORARY REIL AND APPROPRIATE DISPLACED THRESHOLD LIGHTS SHOULD BE INSTALLED, AND HIGHLY LIGHTED AND VISIBLE DURING ALL OPS. FINALLY, LEAD-IN CHEVRONS MUST STAND OUT MORE IN ORDER TO LEAD PLTS TO DISPLACED THRESHOLD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 123612: THE ATIS MENTIONED A DISPLACED THRESHOLD WITH 8550' REMAINING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.