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Captain of medium large transport reports runway markings at pasi are too faded to provide required IFR runway visibility criteria specifically in terms of depth perception.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 796868 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200807 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sit.airport |
| State Reference | AK |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 796868 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Airport |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Situations | |
| Airport | markings : sit.airport |
Narrative:
Sitka airport has issued a NOTAM for 'runway markings faded.' the paint used for the runway markings is not visible at night with a wet runway. Because of this; the runway does not meet the criteria for an IFR runway. On landing; the only depth perception available to the crew is the runway lights. The landing lights do not sufficiently illuminate the runway to provide the needed depth perception with a wet runway. The runway can best be described as 'blacker than the inside of a cow with the eyes shut and the tail down.' I had to call 'flare; flare; flare' for the first officer otherwise we would have had a hard landing. While I have been flying these trips for the last 2 months; I have come to expect using only the runway lights for guidance as to my relative position to the runway. This flight brought to my attention that others; even with the NOTAM and my reminding the pilot on final; had a very difficult time with the depth perception. Raise the minimums to that of a 'non-IFR runway' after civil twilight and have the criteria be 'dry runway only' at night.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF MLG REPORTS RWY MARKINGS AT PASI ARE TOO FADED TO PROVIDE REQUIRED IFR RWY VISIBILITY CRITERIA SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF DEPTH PERCEPTION.
Narrative: SITKA ARPT HAS ISSUED A NOTAM FOR 'RWY MARKINGS FADED.' THE PAINT USED FOR THE RWY MARKINGS IS NOT VISIBLE AT NIGHT WITH A WET RWY. BECAUSE OF THIS; THE RWY DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR AN IFR RWY. ON LNDG; THE ONLY DEPTH PERCEPTION AVAILABLE TO THE CREW IS THE RWY LIGHTS. THE LNDG LIGHTS DO NOT SUFFICIENTLY ILLUMINATE THE RWY TO PROVIDE THE NEEDED DEPTH PERCEPTION WITH A WET RWY. THE RWY CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS 'BLACKER THAN THE INSIDE OF A COW WITH THE EYES SHUT AND THE TAIL DOWN.' I HAD TO CALL 'FLARE; FLARE; FLARE' FOR THE FO OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE HAD A HARD LNDG. WHILE I HAVE BEEN FLYING THESE TRIPS FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS; I HAVE COME TO EXPECT USING ONLY THE RWY LIGHTS FOR GUIDANCE AS TO MY RELATIVE POS TO THE RWY. THIS FLT BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT OTHERS; EVEN WITH THE NOTAM AND MY REMINDING THE PLT ON FINAL; HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME WITH THE DEPTH PERCEPTION. RAISE THE MINIMUMS TO THAT OF A 'NON-IFR RWY' AFTER CIVIL TWILIGHT AND HAVE THE CRITERIA BE 'DRY RWY ONLY' AT NIGHT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.