Approach controller not aware that airport was closed for snow removal.

Attributes
ACN	80360
Time
Date	198801
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cha
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	80360
Person 2
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Atl center sector 04 assumes the airspace and airports for chattanooga approach control from midnight until XF00 am local. The WX sequence at cha that morning showed snow, ice pellets and blowing snow with an RVR of +/- 3400'. When cha approach called me at XF00 am local to take their airspace and airports back, they told me cha airport had been closed at XD00 am local for snow removal. I had not been notified. Fortunately, I had not had any aircraft inbound to cha those 2 hours. If I had clrd an aircraft for approach, with the low RVR's and IFR conditions, he probably would not have seen the men and equipment on the runway in time to avoid them. Flight service had sent a NOTAM out at XD00, but management here didn't read them until after XF30 am local, hours after the airport had been closed. A better system would be for flight service to directly notify the controller responsible for the airport and do away with the middle man.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR NOT AWARE THAT ARPT WAS CLOSED FOR SNOW REMOVAL.

Narrative: ATL CENTER SECTOR 04 ASSUMES THE AIRSPACE AND ARPTS FOR CHATTANOOGA APCH CTL FROM MIDNIGHT UNTIL XF00 AM LCL. THE WX SEQUENCE AT CHA THAT MORNING SHOWED SNOW, ICE PELLETS AND BLOWING SNOW WITH AN RVR OF +/- 3400'. WHEN CHA APCH CALLED ME AT XF00 AM LCL TO TAKE THEIR AIRSPACE AND ARPTS BACK, THEY TOLD ME CHA ARPT HAD BEEN CLOSED AT XD00 AM LCL FOR SNOW REMOVAL. I HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. FORTUNATELY, I HAD NOT HAD ANY ACFT INBND TO CHA THOSE 2 HRS. IF I HAD CLRD AN ACFT FOR APCH, WITH THE LOW RVR'S AND IFR CONDITIONS, HE PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN THE MEN AND EQUIP ON THE RWY IN TIME TO AVOID THEM. FLT SVC HAD SENT A NOTAM OUT AT XD00, BUT MGMNT HERE DIDN'T READ THEM UNTIL AFTER XF30 AM LCL, HRS AFTER THE ARPT HAD BEEN CLOSED. A BETTER SYS WOULD BE FOR FLT SVC TO DIRECTLY NOTIFY THE CTLR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ARPT AND DO AWAY WITH THE MIDDLE MAN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.