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Phl approach controller expressed concern regarding supervisory decisions reference frequently changing visual conditions and runway selections.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 722199 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200612 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : phl.tracon |
| State Reference | PA |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Fog |
| Light | Night |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 722199 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 16 |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : phl.tracon |
Narrative:
During most of the evening shift at phl TRACON; the supervisors changed the runway confign in excess of 6 times attempting to direct aircraft to land on the runway with the most favorable landing visibility. Often times coordination was poorly handled; only to switch the runway confign back when the latest change did not improve the landing situation. The management team appeared to be unsure which course of action to take; and instead of soliciting suggestions from the controllers working the position they would instead change the runway leaving us to deal with it. At approximately XA00 we lost the runway approach lighting system for runway 9R; which is the runway that allows for the very lowest approach minimums. At one point; a heavy airbus actually accepted an approach to runway 9R; without lighting! This and many other circumstances created an unsafe evening last night.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PHL APCH CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING SUPERVISORY DECISIONS REF FREQUENTLY CHANGING VISUAL CONDITIONS AND RWY SELECTIONS.
Narrative: DURING MOST OF THE EVENING SHIFT AT PHL TRACON; THE SUPVRS CHANGED THE RWY CONFIGN IN EXCESS OF 6 TIMES ATTEMPTING TO DIRECT ACFT TO LAND ON THE RWY WITH THE MOST FAVORABLE LNDG VISIBILITY. OFTEN TIMES COORD WAS POORLY HANDLED; ONLY TO SWITCH THE RWY CONFIGN BACK WHEN THE LATEST CHANGE DID NOT IMPROVE THE LNDG SITUATION. THE MGMNT TEAM APPEARED TO BE UNSURE WHICH COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE; AND INSTEAD OF SOLICITING SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CTLRS WORKING THE POS THEY WOULD INSTEAD CHANGE THE RWY LEAVING US TO DEAL WITH IT. AT APPROX XA00 WE LOST THE RWY APCH LIGHTING SYS FOR RWY 9R; WHICH IS THE RWY THAT ALLOWS FOR THE VERY LOWEST APCH MINIMUMS. AT ONE POINT; A HVY AIRBUS ACTUALLY ACCEPTED AN APCH TO RWY 9R; WITHOUT LIGHTING! THIS AND MANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES CREATED AN UNSAFE EVENING LAST NIGHT.
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.