Controller reporter claims that whenever there is a power failure, that the runway arresting gear au...

Attributes
ACN	191477
Time
Date	199110
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mgm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	191477
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

During a power failure, while working local control, I found out that the bak 14 arresting gear automatically raises. I had an aircraft on short final and just happened to look at the cable with binoculars and observed it up. Aircraft was advised and landed beyond cable. After investigating, found that FAA personnel did not know this occurs. We have already had 1 incident with the cable system -- an aircraft claims the cable was partially raised, which caused his nose gear to collapse. Suggest: air national guard personnel (ANG) remain at bak 14 site and raise, lower and secure cable as needed. This is another accident waiting to happen! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter claims that power failure occurred on the field and not in the tower. Stated that if the cable is 'locked down', the cable will slowly raise in a 30 min period. However, if they are in the unlocked position, they go up immediately. Cables were installed approximately 18 months ago. Control box is located in tower. They are located at both ends of runway 27 and raise to a height of 4-6 inches. An aircraft accident involving the cables being up has resulted in a law suit being filed. Reporter would like to see the control box moved from the tower due to the responsibility to the controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR RPTR CLAIMS THAT WHENEVER THERE IS A PWR FAILURE, THAT THE RWY ARRESTING GEAR AUTOMATICALLY RAISES. ACFT ON FINAL APCH WAS ADVISED AND LANDED LONG.

Narrative: DURING A PWR FAILURE, WHILE WORKING LCL CTL, I FOUND OUT THAT THE BAK 14 ARRESTING GEAR AUTOMATICALLY RAISES. I HAD AN ACFT ON SHORT FINAL AND JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK AT THE CABLE WITH BINOCULARS AND OBSERVED IT UP. ACFT WAS ADVISED AND LANDED BEYOND CABLE. AFTER INVESTIGATING, FOUND THAT FAA PERSONNEL DID NOT KNOW THIS OCCURS. WE HAVE ALREADY HAD 1 INCIDENT WITH THE CABLE SYS -- AN ACFT CLAIMS THE CABLE WAS PARTIALLY RAISED, WHICH CAUSED HIS NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. SUGGEST: AIR NATL GUARD PERSONNEL (ANG) REMAIN AT BAK 14 SITE AND RAISE, LOWER AND SECURE CABLE AS NEEDED. THIS IS ANOTHER ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CLAIMS THAT PWR FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE FIELD AND NOT IN THE TWR. STATED THAT IF THE CABLE IS 'LOCKED DOWN', THE CABLE WILL SLOWLY RAISE IN A 30 MIN PERIOD. HOWEVER, IF THEY ARE IN THE UNLOCKED POS, THEY GO UP IMMEDIATELY. CABLES WERE INSTALLED APPROX 18 MONTHS AGO. CTL BOX IS LOCATED IN TWR. THEY ARE LOCATED AT BOTH ENDS OF RWY 27 AND RAISE TO A HEIGHT OF 4-6 INCHES. AN ACFT ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE CABLES BEING UP HAS RESULTED IN A LAW SUIT BEING FILED. RPTR WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CTL BOX MOVED FROM THE TWR DUE TO THE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CTLR.

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.

Controller reporter claims that whenever there is a power failure, that the runway arresting gear automatically raises. Aircraft on final approach was advised and landed long.