Air carrier approach to closed portion of runway with displaced threshold due to poor markings.

Attributes
ACN	321963
Time
Date	199511
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gsp
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	321963
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

An MD88 attempted to land on a portion of runway 21 at gsp that was under construction. I believe the aircraft would have done so had I not issued a safety advisory. I am filing this report because I have been told by numerous other controllers that this has happened to them as well. Runway 21 is being lengthened from 7600 ft to 9000 ft. Construction has been underway for about 9 months, and is nearing completion. Contributing factors: GS OTS. VASI OTS. Runway number is faded and very difficult to see. NOTAMS/ATIS are confusing, eg, threshold is advertised as 'displaced' when it really is 'relocated' (aim 2-3-2). No 10 ft wide threshold bar across runway as recommended in aim. No markings exist in the construction area to indicate the runway is closed. Facility and airport management have been unresponsive to concerns voiced by pilots and controllers, eg, the air carrier director of flight operations asked for improvements to the situation, and for the most part they were not made. The other end of the runway will be extended next yr. While it may be too late to correct the current problem, perhaps this will prevent something unfortunate from happening next yr.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR APCH TO CLOSED PORTION OF RWY WITH DISPLACED THRESHOLD DUE TO POOR MARKINGS.

Narrative: AN MD88 ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A PORTION OF RWY 21 AT GSP THAT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. I BELIEVE THE ACFT WOULD HAVE DONE SO HAD I NOT ISSUED A SAFETY ADVISORY. I AM FILING THIS RPT BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY NUMEROUS OTHER CTLRS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THEM AS WELL. RWY 21 IS BEING LENGTHENED FROM 7600 FT TO 9000 FT. CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS, AND IS NEARING COMPLETION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: GS OTS. VASI OTS. RWY NUMBER IS FADED AND VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE. NOTAMS/ATIS ARE CONFUSING, EG, THRESHOLD IS ADVERTISED AS 'DISPLACED' WHEN IT REALLY IS 'RELOCATED' (AIM 2-3-2). NO 10 FT WIDE THRESHOLD BAR ACROSS RWY AS RECOMMENDED IN AIM. NO MARKINGS EXIST IN THE CONSTRUCTION AREA TO INDICATE THE RWY IS CLOSED. FACILITY AND ARPT MGMNT HAVE BEEN UNRESPONSIVE TO CONCERNS VOICED BY PLTS AND CTLRS, EG, THE ACR DIRECTOR OF FLT OPS ASKED FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SIT, AND FOR THE MOST PART THEY WERE NOT MADE. THE OTHER END OF THE RWY WILL BE EXTENDED NEXT YR. WHILE IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO CORRECT THE CURRENT PROB, PERHAPS THIS WILL PREVENT SOMETHING UNFORTUNATE FROM HAPPENING NEXT YR.

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.