Narrative:

Ground control cleared us as follows: 'taxi to runway 26L via the inner, foxtrot.' it was dark and snowing. No instructions were given to transition to the outer, echo, at any particular point. The last time I flew, foxtrot was open all the way to taxiway charlie. This night, foxtrot ended just past ramp 5 with a fence blocking foxtrot. ATIS and flight plan NOTAMS did not mention that fact. The captain saw the fence when we were about 20 ft from it and immediately applied maximum brakes. We stopped with the fence about 20 ft behind our nose gear. The fence had non-reflective red pvc intertwined through it. There were non-flashing red lights on top of the posts. Under the visibility condition present, the red lights blended with other red lights at the hangar in the backgnd. The fence is visible in day VFR conditions, but extremely difficult to see at night with moderately bad visibility. The red pvc is almost invisible at night. I recommend reflective markings on the fence, flashing amber lights on the posts, a NOTAM giving barricade locations, and adequate taxi instructions by ground control, i.e., 'taxi to runway 26L via foxtrot, transition to echo at ramp 5.' there were no injuries and minor aircraft damage in this incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: call to atl airport manager revealed that the fence has been repaired. The steady red lights atop the posts have been replaced and the non reflective tape on the fence has been replaced by reflective black and yellow panels. A second call to mcn FSS revealed that local NOTAM #1003 has been on file since oct showing taxiway F closed east of ramp 5 north.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TAXIED THROUGH FENCE DENOTING CLOSED TXWY 'F' AT ATL.

Narrative: GND CTL CLRED US AS FOLLOWS: 'TAXI TO RWY 26L VIA THE INNER, FOXTROT.' IT WAS DARK AND SNOWING. NO INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN TO TRANSITION TO THE OUTER, ECHO, AT ANY PARTICULAR POINT. THE LAST TIME I FLEW, FOXTROT WAS OPEN ALL THE WAY TO TXWY CHARLIE. THIS NIGHT, FOXTROT ENDED JUST PAST RAMP 5 WITH A FENCE BLOCKING FOXTROT. ATIS AND FLT PLAN NOTAMS DID NOT MENTION THAT FACT. THE CAPT SAW THE FENCE WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 20 FT FROM IT AND IMMEDIATELY APPLIED MAXIMUM BRAKES. WE STOPPED WITH THE FENCE ABOUT 20 FT BEHIND OUR NOSE GEAR. THE FENCE HAD NON-REFLECTIVE RED PVC INTERTWINED THROUGH IT. THERE WERE NON-FLASHING RED LIGHTS ON TOP OF THE POSTS. UNDER THE VISIBILITY CONDITION PRESENT, THE RED LIGHTS BLENDED WITH OTHER RED LIGHTS AT THE HANGAR IN THE BACKGND. THE FENCE IS VISIBLE IN DAY VFR CONDITIONS, BUT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT WITH MODERATELY BAD VISIBILITY. THE RED PVC IS ALMOST INVISIBLE AT NIGHT. I RECOMMEND REFLECTIVE MARKINGS ON THE FENCE, FLASHING AMBER LIGHTS ON THE POSTS, A NOTAM GIVING BARRICADE LOCATIONS, AND ADEQUATE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BY GND CTL, I.E., 'TAXI TO RWY 26L VIA FOXTROT, TRANSITION TO ECHO AT RAMP 5.' THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND MINOR ACFT DAMAGE IN THIS INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CALL TO ATL ARPT MGR REVEALED THAT THE FENCE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE STEADY RED LIGHTS ATOP THE POSTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE NON REFLECTIVE TAPE ON THE FENCE HAS BEEN REPLACED BY REFLECTIVE BLACK AND YELLOW PANELS. A SECOND CALL TO MCN FSS REVEALED THAT LCL NOTAM #1003 HAS BEEN ON FILE SINCE OCT SHOWING TXWY F CLOSED E OF RAMP 5 N.

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.