Reporter claims 30 inch runway threshold lights are hazard to low wing aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	271894
Time
Date	199405
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mic
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Experience	controller military : 4
ASRS Report	271894
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Problem: mac (metropolitan airport commission) replaced all of the runway lights and constructed a 500 ft overrun on the ends of runway 13L and 31R. There are threshold lights that are approximately 30 inches high that are on the edge of the runway, in about 10-15 ft on the surface. Pilots complain of this issue as a safety problem and we believe they should be removed or recessed. The lights are located in an unsafe location. There are 4 30 inch high threshold lights right on the end of the runway causing a hazard for all aircraft, especially low wings, that may need the overrun. Our runway is only 3263 ft long so there's a high potential of use. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated several pilot's have complained that if they need the overrun area they would have aircraft damage. Reporter did not know if the runway threshold lights were FAA approved. Reporter did not if the light stanchions were ridged or knock down. FAA ado stated that, in the mid west, airports have approval to go up to 36 inches high with threshold lights because of snow. Protrusion across the runway is approved if the area is an overrun area and not a displaced threshold.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS 30 INCH RWY THRESHOLD LIGHTS ARE HAZARD TO LOW WING ACFT.

Narrative: PROB: MAC (METROPOLITAN ARPT COMMISSION) REPLACED ALL OF THE RWY LIGHTS AND CONSTRUCTED A 500 FT OVERRUN ON THE ENDS OF RWY 13L AND 31R. THERE ARE THRESHOLD LIGHTS THAT ARE APPROX 30 INCHES HIGH THAT ARE ON THE EDGE OF THE RWY, IN ABOUT 10-15 FT ON THE SURFACE. PLTS COMPLAIN OF THIS ISSUE AS A SAFETY PROB AND WE BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE REMOVED OR RECESSED. THE LIGHTS ARE LOCATED IN AN UNSAFE LOCATION. THERE ARE 4 30 INCH HIGH THRESHOLD LIGHTS RIGHT ON THE END OF THE RWY CAUSING A HAZARD FOR ALL ACFT, ESPECIALLY LOW WINGS, THAT MAY NEED THE OVERRUN. OUR RWY IS ONLY 3263 FT LONG SO THERE'S A HIGH POTENTIAL OF USE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED SEVERAL PLT'S HAVE COMPLAINED THAT IF THEY NEED THE OVERRUN AREA THEY WOULD HAVE ACFT DAMAGE. RPTR DID NOT KNOW IF THE RWY THRESHOLD LIGHTS WERE FAA APPROVED. RPTR DID NOT IF THE LIGHT STANCHIONS WERE RIDGED OR KNOCK DOWN. FAA ADO STATED THAT, IN THE MID WEST, ARPTS HAVE APPROVAL TO GO UP TO 36 INCHES HIGH WITH THRESHOLD LIGHTS BECAUSE OF SNOW. PROTRUSION ACROSS THE RWY IS APPROVED IF THE AREA IS AN OVERRUN AREA AND NOT A DISPLACED THRESHOLD.

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.