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Iah tower controller voiced concern regarding management's decision to utilize a conflicting runway configuration because of multiple runway closures; suggesting reduced arrival rates as a safer solution.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 808766 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200810 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iah.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : iah.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing : go around ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 13 |
| ASRS Report | 808766 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Airport |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
Narrative:
On the day in question; we had 2 runways closed. Instead of reducing the arrival rate; management ordered the arrs to be taken to runway 15R and runway 26R. This means that in the event of a go around on runway 26R; this aircraft would be flying directly through the arrival path of aircraft arriving runway 15R. Turning them sbound would result in them overlying departures off runway 15L. This makes it impossible for the controller to avoid; at a minimum; an operational deviation with finals airspace for runway 15R; creates the possibility of an operational error with arrs and departures; and the possibility of a collision as closure rates would be in the range of 200-300 KTS.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: IAH TOWER CONTROLLER VOICED CONCERN REGARDING MANAGEMENT'S DECISION TO UTILIZE A CONFLICTING RUNWAY CONFIGURATION BECAUSE OF MULTIPLE RUNWAY CLOSURES; SUGGESTING REDUCED ARRIVAL RATES AS A SAFER SOLUTION.
Narrative: ON THE DAY IN QUESTION; WE HAD 2 RWYS CLOSED. INSTEAD OF REDUCING THE ARR RATE; MGMNT ORDERED THE ARRS TO BE TAKEN TO RWY 15R AND RWY 26R. THIS MEANS THAT IN THE EVENT OF A GAR ON RWY 26R; THIS ACFT WOULD BE FLYING DIRECTLY THROUGH THE ARR PATH OF ACFT ARRIVING RWY 15R. TURNING THEM SBOUND WOULD RESULT IN THEM OVERLYING DEPS OFF RWY 15L. THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CTLR TO AVOID; AT A MINIMUM; AN OPDEV WITH FINALS AIRSPACE FOR RWY 15R; CREATES THE POSSIBILITY OF AN OPERROR WITH ARRS AND DEPS; AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A COLLISION AS CLOSURE RATES WOULD BE IN THE RANGE OF 200-300 KTS.
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.