Narrative:

Lhd combined to anc/ground combined with local. I was briefed that lhd strip (Z41) was notamed closed -- grader and company were grooming the snow covered gravel strip. Earlier in the day the strip was notamed closed, but we were issuing clrncs to aircraft that included 'all operations will be at your own risk.' we don't clear the aircraft to land or depart, but we infer that operations are condoned. When a vehicle goes on the runway, we don't have a method to convey to the pilots or to each other that the strip is really unsafe. I was told about one group of vehicles on the strip. When I passed the position to the next controller, I relayed what I knew. About 15 mins later, the controller working the position observed the grader and associated vehicles depart the strip. The grader driver reported clear of the strip. Several mins later the controller observed a pickup truck on the strip. This situation is very dangerous because we assume that although the strip is notamed closed, it is still usable unless someone coordinates otherwise. The airport is under the impression that the strip is closed, so they don't have to notify us if they go out there. It is a mess! Apparently, though, our language covers the FAA's liability. Callback conversation with the reporter revealed the following information: reporter advises that lake hood (lhd/Z41) airport is approximately 1 mi from anc, and is visible from the tower. By mid to late oct, the lake freezes over and the floatplanes begin to heavily use the adjoining gravel strip, located at the east end of the lake. During the snow months, graders frequently have to remove snow. The reporter advises that the ground crews are generally very good and timely with their notification. The airport is responsible for NOTAM issuance. During this event, the graders had reported clear, opening the airport. But, other vehicles entered the runway without coordination. The reporter is concerned that a lack of single point coordination to ensure the runway is clear and open may lead to a serious ground incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ANC LC OBSERVES VEHICLE ON GRAVEL STRIP (LHD/Z41 ARPT) WHEN PREVIOUSLY RPTED CLR OF ALL VEHICLES.

Narrative: LHD COMBINED TO ANC/GND COMBINED WITH LCL. I WAS BRIEFED THAT LHD STRIP (Z41) WAS NOTAMED CLOSED -- GRADER AND COMPANY WERE GROOMING THE SNOW COVERED GRAVEL STRIP. EARLIER IN THE DAY THE STRIP WAS NOTAMED CLOSED, BUT WE WERE ISSUING CLRNCS TO ACFT THAT INCLUDED 'ALL OPS WILL BE AT YOUR OWN RISK.' WE DON'T CLR THE ACFT TO LAND OR DEPART, BUT WE INFER THAT OPS ARE CONDONED. WHEN A VEHICLE GOES ON THE RWY, WE DON'T HAVE A METHOD TO CONVEY TO THE PLTS OR TO EACH OTHER THAT THE STRIP IS REALLY UNSAFE. I WAS TOLD ABOUT ONE GROUP OF VEHICLES ON THE STRIP. WHEN I PASSED THE POS TO THE NEXT CTLR, I RELAYED WHAT I KNEW. ABOUT 15 MINS LATER, THE CTLR WORKING THE POS OBSERVED THE GRADER AND ASSOCIATED VEHICLES DEPART THE STRIP. THE GRADER DRIVER RPTED CLR OF THE STRIP. SEVERAL MINS LATER THE CTLR OBSERVED A PICKUP TRUCK ON THE STRIP. THIS SIT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE WE ASSUME THAT ALTHOUGH THE STRIP IS NOTAMED CLOSED, IT IS STILL USABLE UNLESS SOMEONE COORDINATES OTHERWISE. THE ARPT IS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE STRIP IS CLOSED, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO NOTIFY US IF THEY GO OUT THERE. IT IS A MESS! APPARENTLY, THOUGH, OUR LANGUAGE COVERS THE FAA'S LIABILITY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH THE RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISES THAT LAKE HOOD (LHD/Z41) ARPT IS APPROX 1 MI FROM ANC, AND IS VISIBLE FROM THE TWR. BY MID TO LATE OCT, THE LAKE FREEZES OVER AND THE FLOATPLANES BEGIN TO HEAVILY USE THE ADJOINING GRAVEL STRIP, LOCATED AT THE EAST END OF THE LAKE. DURING THE SNOW MONTHS, GRADERS FREQUENTLY HAVE TO REMOVE SNOW. THE RPTR ADVISES THAT THE GND CREWS ARE GENERALLY VERY GOOD AND TIMELY WITH THEIR NOTIFICATION. THE ARPT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOTAM ISSUANCE. DURING THIS EVENT, THE GRADERS HAD RPTED CLR, OPENING THE ARPT. BUT, OTHER VEHICLES ENTERED THE RWY WITHOUT COORD. THE RPTR IS CONCERNED THAT A LACK OF SINGLE POINT COORD TO ENSURE THE RWY IS CLR AND OPEN MAY LEAD TO A SERIOUS GND INCIDENT.

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.