<< >> NASA ASRS Report 440878, June 1999

An air carrier flight crew flying DC9 at stl reports a closed taxiway obstruction with light barriers that was not documented or notamed closed.

Attributes
ACN	440878
Time
Date	199906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8800 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	440878
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had just landed at stl from dfw and were taxiing to gate. A poorly marked open excavation -- lots of barricades of which 1/2 had nonworking lights -- partially blocked the gate. Ground control simply said 'taxi to gate,' but did not issue specific instructions. We started to enter from taxiway J, but then company ramp control said to go back and enter at taxiway H. The captain turned and taxied down taxiway D (the outer) to re-enter the ramp at taxiway H. Taxiway D had 2 traffic barricades on the right side that extended perhaps 10 ft out into the taxiway. We easily cleared them and as we turned right to enter the gate, ramp told us that ground control said what we had done was a 'real bad idea.' the taxiway was not notamed closed nor did ground not advise us to use it. There were no other barriers indicating it was closed -- and there still aren't as of 3 days later, still no NOTAMS. The excavation is now full of water, poorly lit, and very difficult to see.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING DC9 AT STL RPTS A CLOSED TXWY OBSTRUCTION WITH LIGHT BARRIERS THAT WAS NOT DOCUMENTED OR NOTAMED CLOSED.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST LANDED AT STL FROM DFW AND WERE TAXIING TO GATE. A POORLY MARKED OPEN EXCAVATION -- LOTS OF BARRICADES OF WHICH 1/2 HAD NONWORKING LIGHTS -- PARTIALLY BLOCKED THE GATE. GND CTL SIMPLY SAID 'TAXI TO GATE,' BUT DID NOT ISSUE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS. WE STARTED TO ENTER FROM TXWY J, BUT THEN COMPANY RAMP CTL SAID TO GO BACK AND ENTER AT TXWY H. THE CAPT TURNED AND TAXIED DOWN TXWY D (THE OUTER) TO RE-ENTER THE RAMP AT TXWY H. TXWY D HAD 2 TFC BARRICADES ON THE R SIDE THAT EXTENDED PERHAPS 10 FT OUT INTO THE TXWY. WE EASILY CLRED THEM AND AS WE TURNED R TO ENTER THE GATE, RAMP TOLD US THAT GND CTL SAID WHAT WE HAD DONE WAS A 'REAL BAD IDEA.' THE TXWY WAS NOT NOTAMED CLOSED NOR DID GND NOT ADVISE US TO USE IT. THERE WERE NO OTHER BARRIERS INDICATING IT WAS CLOSED -- AND THERE STILL AREN'T AS OF 3 DAYS LATER, STILL NO NOTAMS. THE EXCAVATION IS NOW FULL OF WATER, POORLY LIT, AND VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE.

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.