Construction crane obstruction to sight from temporary ATCT.

Attributes
ACN	312060
Time
Date	199508
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	312060
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Msp ATCT currently operates a portable ATCT due to obstructed views of runway 11R/29L caused by the construction of a new control tower. The metropolitan airports commission has recently erected a construction crane in front of the portable ATCT, again causing obstructed views of runway 11R/29L and also of runway 4/22. Of primary concern, the crane obstructs the intersection of these 2 runways. This has caused numerous 'close calls' because the portable ATCT cannot see aircraft in or near this intersection. This is a compromise of safety and an incident or accident is inevitable. Traffic levels should be reduced to such level that allows for operations from the existing tower or for time to verify aircraft are clear of the areas of non-visibility from the portable ATCT.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONSTRUCTION CRANE OBSTRUCTION TO SIGHT FROM TEMPORARY ATCT.

Narrative: MSP ATCT CURRENTLY OPERATES A PORTABLE ATCT DUE TO OBSTRUCTED VIEWS OF RWY 11R/29L CAUSED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW CTL TWR. THE METROPOLITAN ARPTS COMMISSION HAS RECENTLY ERECTED A CONSTRUCTION CRANE IN FRONT OF THE PORTABLE ATCT, AGAIN CAUSING OBSTRUCTED VIEWS OF RWY 11R/29L AND ALSO OF RWY 4/22. OF PRIMARY CONCERN, THE CRANE OBSTRUCTS THE INTXN OF THESE 2 RWYS. THIS HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS 'CLOSE CALLS' BECAUSE THE PORTABLE ATCT CANNOT SEE ACFT IN OR NEAR THIS INTXN. THIS IS A COMPROMISE OF SAFETY AND AN INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT IS INEVITABLE. TFC LEVELS SHOULD BE REDUCED TO SUCH LEVEL THAT ALLOWS FOR OPS FROM THE EXISTING TWR OR FOR TIME TO VERIFY ACFT ARE CLR OF THE AREAS OF NON-VISIBILITY FROM THE PORTABLE ATCT.

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.