Pilot of a C182 observed what appeared to be railroad ties blocking the runway intersection to a clo...

Attributes
ACN	409446
Time
Date	199807
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	409446
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Abe runway 13/31 closed, probably for resurfacing. No apparent faults on asphalt surface. The runway notamed OTS, big yellow 'X' on overrun area, localizer shut down, and it was on ATIS. However, access to the runway, where it intersects runway 6/24 was blocked with railroad ties, wooden logs of square cross section 12 inches by 12 inches. Now, if for any reason a pilot was forced to use the runway, say an engine- out, the barricades guarantee a major incident. Everything else on the airport is designed to be frangible - - just in case. So why install tank-traps? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he observed the railroad tie type barricade as he passed the runway intersection during landing and takeoff and thought it unusual that the type of material would be used for a closed runway. He did not notice any other signs, flashing lights, markings or construction equipment in the runway intersection area. He did reiterate that there were appropriate other markings and notices for the closed runway. He only felt that the railroad ties would cause major damage if inadvertently run into by an aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C182 OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE RAILROAD TIES BLOCKING THE RWY INTXN TO A CLOSED RWY. RPTR BELIEVES THAT OTHER TYPES OF BLOCKING MATERIAL COULD BE USED THAT WOULD NOT CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE TO AN ACFT WHICH INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF THE ACTIVE RWY AT THE RWY INTXN.

Narrative: ABE RWY 13/31 CLOSED, PROBABLY FOR RESURFACING. NO APPARENT FAULTS ON ASPHALT SURFACE. THE RWY NOTAMED OTS, BIG YELLOW 'X' ON OVERRUN AREA, LOC SHUT DOWN, AND IT WAS ON ATIS. HOWEVER, ACCESS TO THE RWY, WHERE IT INTERSECTS RWY 6/24 WAS BLOCKED WITH RAILROAD TIES, WOODEN LOGS OF SQUARE CROSS SECTION 12 INCHES BY 12 INCHES. NOW, IF FOR ANY REASON A PLT WAS FORCED TO USE THE RWY, SAY AN ENG- OUT, THE BARRICADES GUARANTEE A MAJOR INCIDENT. EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE ARPT IS DESIGNED TO BE FRANGIBLE - - JUST IN CASE. SO WHY INSTALL TANK-TRAPS? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE RAILROAD TIE TYPE BARRICADE AS HE PASSED THE RWY INTXN DURING LNDG AND TKOF AND THOUGHT IT UNUSUAL THAT THE TYPE OF MATERIAL WOULD BE USED FOR A CLOSED RWY. HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY OTHER SIGNS, FLASHING LIGHTS, MARKINGS OR CONSTRUCTION EQUIP IN THE RWY INTXN AREA. HE DID REITERATE THAT THERE WERE APPROPRIATE OTHER MARKINGS AND NOTICES FOR THE CLOSED RWY. HE ONLY FELT THAT THE RAILROAD TIES WOULD CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE IF INADVERTENTLY RUN INTO BY AN ACFT.

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.