Narrative:

I was working the ground and local control position in the dayton, oh, ATC tower. Snow removal operations were ongoing with snow and freezing rain. Runway 6L was the active runway and the ILS runway 6L the only approach available. Braking action on the txwys was nil. Braking action on the runway was poor, deteriorating rapidly to nil. When snow removal is in progress, the city does not close the runway. We (ATC) work the equipment on and off the runway between arrs and departures. At one point, I had 5 different groups of vehicles on the runway. Each group with a different call sign. I had to make 5 different calls to clear the vehicles off the runway and 5 calls to verify clear of the runway. This is a dangerous and unsafe condition. The runway braking action is deteriorating as snow removal cannot take place with aircraft operating on the runway. I have to remember where all the trucks are while continuing air operations. The answer seems simple. Close the runway (maybe 20-30 mins). Clear the snow and ice, then reopen for operations. In my 15 yrs experience at dayton, this is how it has always been. I'm tired and frustrated to be placed in this situation. We are sacrificing the safety of the flying public, pilots, and snow removal equipment operators.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DAY CTLR CONCERNED WITH DAY ARPT SNOW REMOVAL VEHICLE RESTRS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE GND AND LCL CTL POS IN THE DAYTON, OH, ATC TWR. SNOW REMOVAL OPS WERE ONGOING WITH SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN. RWY 6L WAS THE ACTIVE RWY AND THE ILS RWY 6L THE ONLY APCH AVAILABLE. BRAKING ACTION ON THE TXWYS WAS NIL. BRAKING ACTION ON THE RWY WAS POOR, DETERIORATING RAPIDLY TO NIL. WHEN SNOW REMOVAL IS IN PROGRESS, THE CITY DOES NOT CLOSE THE RWY. WE (ATC) WORK THE EQUIP ON AND OFF THE RWY BTWN ARRS AND DEPS. AT ONE POINT, I HAD 5 DIFFERENT GROUPS OF VEHICLES ON THE RWY. EACH GROUP WITH A DIFFERENT CALL SIGN. I HAD TO MAKE 5 DIFFERENT CALLS TO CLR THE VEHICLES OFF THE RWY AND 5 CALLS TO VERIFY CLR OF THE RWY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE CONDITION. THE RWY BRAKING ACTION IS DETERIORATING AS SNOW REMOVAL CANNOT TAKE PLACE WITH ACFT OPERATING ON THE RWY. I HAVE TO REMEMBER WHERE ALL THE TRUCKS ARE WHILE CONTINUING AIR OPS. THE ANSWER SEEMS SIMPLE. CLOSE THE RWY (MAYBE 20-30 MINS). CLR THE SNOW AND ICE, THEN REOPEN FOR OPS. IN MY 15 YRS EXPERIENCE AT DAYTON, THIS IS HOW IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN. I'M TIRED AND FRUSTRATED TO BE PLACED IN THIS SIT. WE ARE SACRIFICING THE SAFETY OF THE FLYING PUBLIC, PLTS, AND SNOW REMOVAL EQUIP OPERATORS.

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.