PLT RPTR CONTENDS THAT ARPT PERIMETER FENCING SHOULD BE MODIFIED SO AS TO BREAK AWAY OR MORE GATES SHOULD BE INSTALLED FOR EASIER EMER CREW ACCESS.

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THE TIGHTENING OF ARPT SECURITY HAS CREATED A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD FOR PLTS; SPECIFICALLY IN THE ARPT SECURITY PERIMETER FENCING. THE LOSS OF PWR ON TKOF; FAILURE OF LIFT-OFF; RUNNING OFF DEP END OF RWY; AND OTHER DANGERS COULD ALL LEAD TO THE POSSIBILITY OF GOING THROUGH THE 'SECURITY FENCE' OR; WORSE YET; THE CABLE OR BAR ON TOP OF THE FENCE. AN ABORTED TKOF COULD CAUSE THE ACFT TO RUN INTO THE SECURITY FENCE LITERALLY SHEARING OFF THE CANOPY AS THE COCKPIT IS SLICED INTO BY THE FENCING STRUCTURE; RESULTING IN DISASTER AND EVEN DEATH. ONE CASE IN POINT IS A VARIEZE ACCIDENT IN PRESCOTT; AZ. HIGH DENSITY ALT FAILED TO GET THE PLANE AIRBORNE; THE PLANE LEFT THE RWY AND RAN THROUGH THE FENCE DECAPITATING THE PLT. THE ACFT WAS OTHERWISE UNDAMAGED; AND IN MY OPINION; THIS WAS A SURVIVABLE ABORT; EXCEPT THE FENCE TOOK THE PLT'S HEAD OFF. I STUDIED THE ARPT FENCE FROM AN ARPT I FREQUENT (CALIFORNIA CITY L71) AND IT'S RIGHT AT THE END OF THE OVERRUN AND INCLUDES A (PLT DECAPITATING) CABLE ON THE TOP. IF I WERE TO INADVERTENTLY RUN MY LONGEZ THROUGH IT; IT WOULD SURELY KILL ME -- THAT CABLE HAS A POTENTIAL OF DAMAGING ANY ACFT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR ALL LOW WING ACFT. HERE'S ANOTHER FENCE STORY. JUST LAST WK IN MOJAVE; CA; A C150 LANDED OFF FIELD AND FLIPPED OVER. IT WAS FORTUNATE NO ONE NEEDED IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTN BECAUSE NONE OF THE FIRE/RESCUE/AMBULANCE VEHICLES COULD GET THROUGH THE FENCING TO ASSIST THE PLTS. THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION AND SIGNIFICANT DELAYS AS THEY WERE SEARCHING FOR A GATE; OBTAINING KEYS OR BOLT CUTTERS TO ACCESS THE PLTS. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGEDY HAD THIS BEEN AN INJURY ACCIDENT OR HAD THERE BEEN A FIRE. COMMON AND CURRENT ARPT PERIMETER FENCING AT THE DEP ENDS OF THE RWYS ARE POTENTIAL HAZARDS TO THOSE OF US WHO FLY OVER THEM EACH DAY. PERHAPS A MORE BREAK-AWAY FENCE OR A TYPE OF FENCING THAT WOULD COLLAPSE BENEATH AN AIRPLANE (NOT OVER THE AIRPLANE) IN THE EVENT OF AN ABORTED TKOF. SUCH SAFETY CHANGES WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE DONE AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIMETER; JUST AT THE DEP ENDS OF RWYS. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A NUMBER OF GATES ADEQUATE TO ALLOW RAPID ACCESS TO OFF-FIELD CRASHES AND SIMPLE PROCS TO GET THROUGH THE GATES TO THE ACCIDENT SCENES. MERE MINS CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BTWN LIFE AND DEATH IN MANY OFF-FIELD RESCUES. ARPTS HAVE INVESTED IN FIRE/CRASH/RESCUE EQUIP; BUT IT'S ALL FOR NAUGHT IF THE CREWS CAN'T GET TO THE SCENE.