Narrative:

A major road construction project is underway on and adjacent to airport property. Construction workers cut all telephone lines to the control tower at approximately XA00. This resulted in a total loss of stars interface and tdw (radar display); ATIS frequency; all interphone communications with other facilities (particularly orlando international tower and TRACON mco); fdio; and the 'crash phone' to local fire departure and 911 operations center. Phone lines were restored approximately XF30. This was the third time in less than a month that this construction crew had cut our phone lines; power lines; or both. After the previous time a cell phone was placed in the tower cabin attendant to be used to contact mco TRACON for necessary coords. We established procedures for all arrs to be placed on localizer back course to active runway 25 and switch communications at 7 DME. Practice instrument approachs and pattern work (a significant portion of our business) were denied. A locally-based traffic reporting aircraft was told to remain outside class D airspace for the duration of his evening traffic reports; which limited the information he could provide to local news affiliates. After the lines were repaired; I spoke with one of the phone company technicians. He said that if the phone company could show negligence on the part of the construction company or the subcontractor that was supposed to mark buried cables; they would bill them for the cost of repairs. He conceded that such costs are not very high; and many construction companies find it most cost-effective to dig blindly and pay for any repairs that may be required than to pay a subcontractor to mark buried cables. The construction companies in question obviously don't get it. Until the FAA starts fining them for each and every service interruption they cause; this 'jeopardization' of safety will continue unabated. I figure $50000 per incident would get the message across effectively.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR FEELS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY'S REPEATED DAMAGE TO TELEPHONE LINES SVCING THE TWR AND ITS EQUIP SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR; AND THE COMPANY FINED FOR EACH INSTANCE OF SUCH LOSS TO MAKE IT MORE EXPENSIVE TO PAY FOR SUCH DAMAGES THAN TO AVOID DOING SO.

Narrative: A MAJOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS UNDERWAY ON AND ADJACENT TO ARPT PROPERTY. CONSTRUCTION WORKERS CUT ALL TELEPHONE LINES TO THE CTL TWR AT APPROX XA00. THIS RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF STARS INTERFACE AND TDW (RADAR DISPLAY); ATIS FREQ; ALL INTERPHONE COMS WITH OTHER FACILITIES (PARTICULARLY ORLANDO INTL TWR AND TRACON MCO); FDIO; AND THE 'CRASH PHONE' TO LCL FIRE DEP AND 911 OPS CTR. PHONE LINES WERE RESTORED APPROX XF30. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME IN LESS THAN A MONTH THAT THIS CONSTRUCTION CREW HAD CUT OUR PHONE LINES; PWR LINES; OR BOTH. AFTER THE PREVIOUS TIME A CELL PHONE WAS PLACED IN THE TWR CAB TO BE USED TO CONTACT MCO TRACON FOR NECESSARY COORDS. WE ESTABLISHED PROCS FOR ALL ARRS TO BE PLACED ON LOC BACK COURSE TO ACTIVE RWY 25 AND SWITCH COMS AT 7 DME. PRACTICE INST APCHS AND PATTERN WORK (A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR BUSINESS) WERE DENIED. A LOCALLY-BASED TFC RPTING ACFT WAS TOLD TO REMAIN OUTSIDE CLASS D AIRSPACE FOR THE DURATION OF HIS EVENING TFC RPTS; WHICH LIMITED THE INFO HE COULD PROVIDE TO LCL NEWS AFFILIATES. AFTER THE LINES WERE REPAIRED; I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE PHONE COMPANY TECHNICIANS. HE SAID THAT IF THE PHONE COMPANY COULD SHOW NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OR THE SUBCONTRACTOR THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO MARK BURIED CABLES; THEY WOULD BILL THEM FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. HE CONCEDED THAT SUCH COSTS ARE NOT VERY HIGH; AND MANY CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES FIND IT MOST COST-EFFECTIVE TO DIG BLINDLY AND PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED THAN TO PAY A SUBCONTRACTOR TO MARK BURIED CABLES. THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES IN QUESTION OBVIOUSLY DON'T GET IT. UNTIL THE FAA STARTS FINING THEM FOR EACH AND EVERY SVC INTERRUPTION THEY CAUSE; THIS 'JEOPARDIZATION' OF SAFETY WILL CONTINUE UNABATED. I FIGURE $50000 PER INCIDENT WOULD GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS EFFECTIVELY.

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.