RWY SELECTION DUE TO VISIBILITY RESTRICTION ON FINAL APCH DUE TO EXPLOSIONS AND SMOKE.

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HTS ARPT IS SITUATED 2 NM SE OF THE ASHLAND OIL; INC REFINERY IN ASHLAND; KY. THE MAIN RWY AT HTS IS CENTERED FROM THE REFINERY; THEREFORE MOST ACFT OVERFLY IT WHEN USING RWY 12 OR RWY 30. ON JUL/THU/93; THE REFINERY EXPERIENCED SOME SORT OF MALFUNCTION THAT CAUSED SEVERAL SMALL EXPLOSIONS AND DISCHARGE OF VERY THICK BLACK SMOKE ALONG THE RWY'S EXTENDED CTRLINE. RECOGNIZING THAT THIS COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO ACFT OPS; I CHANGED OUR ACTIVE RWY CONFIGN TO LAND RWY 30 AND DEPART RWY 12. OUR WINDS WERE CALM TO A LIGHT XWIND. WE WERE NOT BUSY; AND THE OP WENT SMOOTHLY. ABOUT 30 MINS LATER; THE WATCH SUPVR; ARBITRARILY AND CAPRICIOUSLY OVERRODE MY DECISION BY SAYING 'THAT DOESN'T LOOK DANGEROUS.' WE HAVE NO DIRECT WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE REFINERY. HOW DID HE KNOW IT WASN'T DANGEROUS? A DIRECT LINE OR NUMBER TO THE REFINERY FOR MUTUAL NOTIFICATION OF INCIDENTS/ACCIDENTS/EMERS IS NEEDED. ASHLAND OIL WOULD MOST LIKELY LIKE ADVANCE NOTICE OF AN ACFT IN DISTRESS THAT MAY OVERFLY THE REFINERY. TWR SUPVR IS NOT A PLT. HE SHOULD TRUST AND SOLICIT THE OPINIONS OF THOSE WITH MORE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN AVIATION.