Narrative:

At huntington tri-state airport (hts) runway 21 is also marked/used as taxiway 'B'. This results in almost daily confusion (it even has blue and white lights). Suggestions to airport and FAA management to rename txwys and not call runway 21 a taxiway have fallen on deaf ears. Also, the reils (runway end identifier lights) have been out of service since october (for all runways so equipped) and there is no estimate as to when they will return. Because of terrain, we need those lights! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: runway 3/21 being designated on the local airport chart as a taxiway as well as a runway causes some discussion in the tower cabin attendant as to whether ground controller has the taxiway or local controller has it as an active runway. There is agreement in the tower that this may one day cause a runway incursion that could be hazardous. The lights are worked on and then shortly are inoperative again. This is a chronic condition -- we are told the system is old and obtaining parts is difficult.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER ALLEGES REIL AT HTS OUT OF SERVICE CHRONICALLY. OBJECTS TO RWY 3-21 BEING DESIGNATED A TXWY AS WELL AS A RWY.

Narrative: AT HUNTINGTON TRI-STATE ARPT (HTS) RWY 21 IS ALSO MARKED/USED AS TXWY 'B'. THIS RESULTS IN ALMOST DAILY CONFUSION (IT EVEN HAS BLUE AND WHITE LIGHTS). SUGGESTIONS TO ARPT AND FAA MGMNT TO RENAME TXWYS AND NOT CALL RWY 21 A TXWY HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS. ALSO, THE REILS (RWY END IDENTIFIER LIGHTS) HAVE BEEN OUT OF SERVICE SINCE OCTOBER (FOR ALL RWYS SO EQUIPPED) AND THERE IS NO ESTIMATE AS TO WHEN THEY WILL RETURN. BECAUSE OF TERRAIN, WE NEED THOSE LIGHTS! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RWY 3/21 BEING DESIGNATED ON THE LCL ARPT CHART AS A TXWY AS WELL AS A RWY CAUSES SOME DISCUSSION IN THE TWR CAB AS TO WHETHER GND CTLR HAS THE TXWY OR LCL CTLR HAS IT AS AN ACTIVE RWY. THERE IS AGREEMENT IN THE TWR THAT THIS MAY ONE DAY CAUSE A RWY INCURSION THAT COULD BE HAZARDOUS. THE LIGHTS ARE WORKED ON AND THEN SHORTLY ARE INOP AGAIN. THIS IS A CHRONIC CONDITION -- WE ARE TOLD THE SYSTEM IS OLD AND OBTAINING PARTS IS DIFFICULT.

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.