Light transport hits trees on approach at night.

Attributes
ACN	256024
Time
Date	199311
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gep airport : mic
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 30 agl bound upper : 30
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mic
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	256024
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Short runway, airport surrounded by trees, obstructions, not lighted. To correct the problem, there is room for overruns, airport authority feels overruns not necessary. Overruns or runway extensions would allow for a higher approach angle. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he has been concerned about the trees for some time. In the daytime it is no problem but at night with no visibility there, they are. This is a high speed jet aircraft and headquartered at this airport due to presence of a tower. Department of transportation of mn checks the obstructions every 2 yrs and last time indicated they were marginally above the glide angle. Decided to wait until the next check. Reporter believes these trees grow about 2 ft per yr so of course they are a problem now. The metropolitan airport commission, who has final jurisdiction, seems to constantly drag their feet on any action. Reporter very upset as this could have been a disaster. A tree branch entered 1 engine, and a flap and leading edge of wing were damaged.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT HITS TREES ON APCH AT NIGHT.

Narrative: SHORT RWY, ARPT SURROUNDED BY TREES, OBSTRUCTIONS, NOT LIGHTED. TO CORRECT THE PROB, THERE IS ROOM FOR OVERRUNS, ARPT AUTHORITY FEELS OVERRUNS NOT NECESSARY. OVERRUNS OR RWY EXTENSIONS WOULD ALLOW FOR A HIGHER APCH ANGLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE HAS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE TREES FOR SOME TIME. IN THE DAYTIME IT IS NO PROB BUT AT NIGHT WITH NO VISIBILITY THERE, THEY ARE. THIS IS A HIGH SPD JET ACFT AND HEADQUARTERED AT THIS ARPT DUE TO PRESENCE OF A TWR. DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION OF MN CHKS THE OBSTRUCTIONS EVERY 2 YRS AND LAST TIME INDICATED THEY WERE MARGINALLY ABOVE THE GLIDE ANGLE. DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT CHK. RPTR BELIEVES THESE TREES GROW ABOUT 2 FT PER YR SO OF COURSE THEY ARE A PROB NOW. THE METROPOLITAN ARPT COMMISSION, WHO HAS FINAL JURISDICTION, SEEMS TO CONSTANTLY DRAG THEIR FEET ON ANY ACTION. RPTR VERY UPSET AS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. A TREE BRANCH ENTERED 1 ENG, AND A FLAP AND LEADING EDGE OF WING WERE DAMAGED.

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.