Narrative:

I was working west radar with 5 aircraft inbound for landing. The state called and said air carrier X could land but runway was closed for all other aircraft to sweep the runway to get better mu numbers for an air carrier Y cargo B747 to take off. WX was solid IFR, with moderate turbulence below 4000 ft, and light icing at 7000 ft. I put all aircraft in holding, which were 2 piper navajos, a caravan, and a piper cherokee, and later a C212. We asked for delay and were told they (the state) didn't know 3 of the aircraft had 20-45 mins fuel before having to go to alternate airport. After about 10 mins, another air carrier X B737 departed because 'he had deiced.' runway was opened about 20 mins later with delays of 18-35 mins occurring. The state made decisions based on the air carrier's request without regard for the safety of aircraft holding in adverse IFR conditions. If a runway is closed it should apply to all, yet the state opened it again for an air carrier X departure then closed it again to get ready for air carrier Y departure. I consider the whole thing to be a very unsafe operation! Supplemental information from acn 635605: the airport operations office closed our only instrument runway during IMC WX without notice and without issuing an estimated time for reopening. As a result of this closure we were stuck with 5 aircraft in holding experiencing moderate turbulence and light icing. The absence of a reopening estimate was most troubling. The nearest civilian alternate with a precision approach is more than 150 mi away. The pilots really never got the information they needed to make good decisions about their own safety. The closures were also conducted without written NOTAMS, so we could not commence a ground stop program in a timely manner. In all, it was unsafe and poorly conducted. Callback conversation with reporter acn 635604 revealed the following information: reporter stated when the problem started with the runway closure, he felt the supervisor should have tried a little harder to get the runway back for arrival's. He said there were no diverts and delay to about 5 aircraft was 15 to 35 mins. He said this was a one time incident with the airport management. After discussions with the airport crew, the issues have been resolved.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A BUSY PERIOD WITH IMC WX, APCH CTL WAS ADVISED THE FAI RWY WAS BEING CLOSED TO PERMIT A RWY CHK AND ALLOW A B747 CARGO TO DEPART.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING W RADAR WITH 5 ACFT INBOUND FOR LNDG. THE STATE CALLED AND SAID ACR X COULD LAND BUT RWY WAS CLOSED FOR ALL OTHER ACFT TO SWEEP THE RWY TO GET BETTER MU NUMBERS FOR AN ACR Y CARGO B747 TO TAKE OFF. WX WAS SOLID IFR, WITH MODERATE TURB BELOW 4000 FT, AND LIGHT ICING AT 7000 FT. I PUT ALL ACFT IN HOLDING, WHICH WERE 2 PIPER NAVAJOS, A CARAVAN, AND A PIPER CHEROKEE, AND LATER A C212. WE ASKED FOR DELAY AND WERE TOLD THEY (THE STATE) DIDN'T KNOW 3 OF THE ACFT HAD 20-45 MINS FUEL BEFORE HAVING TO GO TO ALTERNATE ARPT. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINS, ANOTHER ACR X B737 DEPARTED BECAUSE 'HE HAD DEICED.' RWY WAS OPENED ABOUT 20 MINS LATER WITH DELAYS OF 18-35 MINS OCCURRING. THE STATE MADE DECISIONS BASED ON THE ACR'S REQUEST WITHOUT REGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF ACFT HOLDING IN ADVERSE IFR CONDITIONS. IF A RWY IS CLOSED IT SHOULD APPLY TO ALL, YET THE STATE OPENED IT AGAIN FOR AN ACR X DEP THEN CLOSED IT AGAIN TO GET READY FOR ACR Y DEP. I CONSIDER THE WHOLE THING TO BE A VERY UNSAFE OP! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 635605: THE ARPT OPS OFFICE CLOSED OUR ONLY INST RWY DURING IMC WX WITHOUT NOTICE AND WITHOUT ISSUING AN ESTIMATED TIME FOR REOPENING. AS A RESULT OF THIS CLOSURE WE WERE STUCK WITH 5 ACFT IN HOLDING EXPERIENCING MODERATE TURB AND LIGHT ICING. THE ABSENCE OF A REOPENING ESTIMATE WAS MOST TROUBLING. THE NEAREST CIVILIAN ALTERNATE WITH A PRECISION APCH IS MORE THAN 150 MI AWAY. THE PLTS REALLY NEVER GOT THE INFO THEY NEEDED TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN SAFETY. THE CLOSURES WERE ALSO CONDUCTED WITHOUT WRITTEN NOTAMS, SO WE COULD NOT COMMENCE A GND STOP PROGRAM IN A TIMELY MANNER. IN ALL, IT WAS UNSAFE AND POORLY CONDUCTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 635604 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED WHEN THE PROB STARTED WITH THE RWY CLOSURE, HE FELT THE SUPVR SHOULD HAVE TRIED A LITTLE HARDER TO GET THE RWY BACK FOR ARR'S. HE SAID THERE WERE NO DIVERTS AND DELAY TO ABOUT 5 ACFT WAS 15 TO 35 MINS. HE SAID THIS WAS A ONE TIME INCIDENT WITH THE ARPT MGMNT. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ARPT CREW, THE ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED.

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.