Narrative:

After repeated numerous requests to sweep the txwys and ramp areas clean of rocks and debris have fallen on deaf ears, I will write this complaint of conditions on the mbo. On run-up of one of our aircraft, the propeller picked up one of the sizable rocks or stones on the taxiway with enough damage to ground the plane. The surface of this taxiway has been in serious/degraded condition for years. My recommendation is that the taxiway be closed until it can be fixed or resurfaced. The taxiway in question is the parallel south of the main ramp. This report is issued in the interest of aviation safety for all users of the airport and the community at large. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the airport manager is not on site and is not a pilot. He seems to have little interest in airport activities. He works for the city and mostly collects money for fuel and other fees. FAA has made inspections at times but is not consistent about checking conditions. Reporter states that corporate pilots who fly into mbo do not use the south taxiway at all. They do their run-up by the runway and back taxi for takeoff. The airport has been nicknamed rock city. Reporter feels this is a major safety factor as rocks are sucked up during run-up and can cause cracks in propellers which would not be noted until takeoff when the propeller could separate. Reporter has replaced many propellers due to the taxiway conditions. If nothing else can be done he would at least like a NOTAM to the effect that the parallel taxiway is not usable. The mayor is of the mind that the airport ought to be closed but it has received federal grants in the past which mandate that it be used as an airport for at least 20 yrs. Analyst recommended hotline.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CONCERNED REGARDING SAFETY OF TXWY AT MBO. ROCKS AND DEBRIS CREATE A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION.

Narrative: AFTER REPEATED NUMEROUS REQUESTS TO SWEEP THE TXWYS AND RAMP AREAS CLEAN OF ROCKS AND DEBRIS HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS, I WILL WRITE THIS COMPLAINT OF CONDITIONS ON THE MBO. ON RUN-UP OF ONE OF OUR ACFT, THE PROP PICKED UP ONE OF THE SIZABLE ROCKS OR STONES ON THE TXWY WITH ENOUGH DAMAGE TO GND THE PLANE. THE SURFACE OF THIS TXWY HAS BEEN IN SERIOUS/DEGRADED CONDITION FOR YEARS. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE TXWY BE CLOSED UNTIL IT CAN BE FIXED OR RESURFACED. THE TXWY IN QUESTION IS THE PARALLEL S OF THE MAIN RAMP. THIS RPT IS ISSUED IN THE INTEREST OF AVIATION SAFETY FOR ALL USERS OF THE ARPT AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ARPT MGR IS NOT ON SITE AND IS NOT A PLT. HE SEEMS TO HAVE LITTLE INTEREST IN ARPT ACTIVITIES. HE WORKS FOR THE CITY AND MOSTLY COLLECTS MONEY FOR FUEL AND OTHER FEES. FAA HAS MADE INSPECTIONS AT TIMES BUT IS NOT CONSISTENT ABOUT CHKING CONDITIONS. RPTR STATES THAT CORPORATE PLTS WHO FLY INTO MBO DO NOT USE THE S TXWY AT ALL. THEY DO THEIR RUN-UP BY THE RWY AND BACK TAXI FOR TKOF. THE ARPT HAS BEEN NICKNAMED ROCK CITY. RPTR FEELS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY FACTOR AS ROCKS ARE SUCKED UP DURING RUN-UP AND CAN CAUSE CRACKS IN PROPS WHICH WOULD NOT BE NOTED UNTIL TKOF WHEN THE PROP COULD SEPARATE. RPTR HAS REPLACED MANY PROPS DUE TO THE TXWY CONDITIONS. IF NOTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE HE WOULD AT LEAST LIKE A NOTAM TO THE EFFECT THAT THE PARALLEL TXWY IS NOT USABLE. THE MAYOR IS OF THE MIND THAT THE ARPT OUGHT TO BE CLOSED BUT IT HAS RECEIVED FEDERAL GRANTS IN THE PAST WHICH MANDATE THAT IT BE USED AS AN ARPT FOR AT LEAST 20 YRS. ANALYST RECOMMENDED HOTLINE.

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.