Narrative:

A visual approach to runway 34 at ciu was conducted by the PIC in day VMC. The aircraft was fully configured for landing as per company procedures. Runway 34 length is 7201 ft; preceded by a 5208 ft stopway. The sun was low in the sky and created a severe glare that obscured the PAPI located on the left side of runway 34. No markings were visible and no noticeable difference in pavement color was seen; which could differentiate the stopway from the runway. On final; the aircraft struck a plastic pole located in the center of the stopway close to the threshold of runway 34. The pole scratched the right wingroot fairing; right fwd and aft fuselage. All runway markings were reported in fair condition and were very faded. There was no NOTAMS pertaining to the runway. The pole was neither marked on airport diagram; nor was it notamed to be there. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the first officer reported that he did not see the pole; but the captain did at the last minute and initiated a mini go around and continued to fly and land on the actual runway. He reported that there is no NOTAM on this pole. The airport was built as an air force B52 facility; but is now civilian. The airport authority does not want to maintain the entire runway so the stopway is essentially an abandoned runway portion. However; the active portion of the runway is not well painted and the stopway is difficult to distinguish from the runway; especially in the setting sun.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C550 STRUCK A PLASTIC POLE ON THE CTRLINE OF A 5802 FT STOPWAY NEAR THE THRESHOLD OF THE 7201 FT RWY AT CIU; MI.

Narrative: A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 34 AT CIU WAS CONDUCTED BY THE PIC IN DAY VMC. THE ACFT WAS FULLY CONFIGURED FOR LNDG AS PER COMPANY PROCS. RWY 34 LENGTH IS 7201 FT; PRECEDED BY A 5208 FT STOPWAY. THE SUN WAS LOW IN THE SKY AND CREATED A SEVERE GLARE THAT OBSCURED THE PAPI LOCATED ON THE L SIDE OF RWY 34. NO MARKINGS WERE VISIBLE AND NO NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN PAVEMENT COLOR WAS SEEN; WHICH COULD DIFFERENTIATE THE STOPWAY FROM THE RWY. ON FINAL; THE ACFT STRUCK A PLASTIC POLE LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE STOPWAY CLOSE TO THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 34. THE POLE SCRATCHED THE R WINGROOT FAIRING; R FWD AND AFT FUSELAGE. ALL RWY MARKINGS WERE RPTED IN FAIR CONDITION AND WERE VERY FADED. THERE WAS NO NOTAMS PERTAINING TO THE RWY. THE POLE WAS NEITHER MARKED ON ARPT DIAGRAM; NOR WAS IT NOTAMED TO BE THERE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FO RPTED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE POLE; BUT THE CAPT DID AT THE LAST MINUTE AND INITIATED A MINI GO AROUND AND CONTINUED TO FLY AND LAND ON THE ACTUAL RWY. HE RPTED THAT THERE IS NO NOTAM ON THIS POLE. THE ARPT WAS BUILT AS AN AIR FORCE B52 FACILITY; BUT IS NOW CIVILIAN. THE ARPT AUTHORITY DOES NOT WANT TO MAINTAIN THE ENTIRE RWY SO THE STOPWAY IS ESSENTIALLY AN ABANDONED RWY PORTION. HOWEVER; THE ACTIVE PORTION OF THE RWY IS NOT WELL PAINTED AND THE STOPWAY IS DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH FROM THE RWY; ESPECIALLY IN THE SETTING SUN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.