2003-10 · NASA ASRS report 615644
C172 PLT SAW CROP DUSTERS MONOPOLIZE THE ARPT CREATING AN UNSAFE TFC SIT.
ON THE WKEND OF OCT/SAT/03; I OBSERVED 2 CROP DUSTING ACFT ENGAGING IN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS FLT OPS AT TYLER COUNTY ARPT (09R) IN WOODVILLE; TX. THE 2 ACFT DELIBERATELY CREATED AN UNSAFE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT BY MONOPOLIZING THE ARPT MOVEMENT AREAS; RESULTING IN MY DECISION TO TERMINATE OUR FLT OPS ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WHEN I ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN AT 09R; I OBSERVED 1 CROP DUSTING ACFT AHEAD OF ME WHO WAS NOT USING THE ARPTS CTAF OF 122.9. AFTER HE LANDED; HE TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND STOPPED AT THE LOCATION I HAVE CIRCLED ON THE ATTACHED DIAGRAM AND PHOTO. BY STOPPING AT THIS LOCATION; THE PLT EFFECTIVELY BLOCKED THE ONLY EXIT FROM THE ACTIVE RWY. ASSUMING HE WOULD PROCEED ONTO THE TARMAC AFTER A BRIEF STOP; I LANDED BEHIND HIM. UNFORTUNATELY; THE CROP DUSTER DID NOT MOVE FROM THAT LOCATION AND A GND VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO LOAD CHEMICALS ONTO THE CROP DUSTER. I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS WITNESSING. THESE PEOPLE HAD A TOTALLY CARELESS ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS TRYING TO USE THE ARPT. UNABLE TO EXIT THE RWY; I BACK-TAXIED DOWN RWY 34 TOWARDS THE S SIDE RUN-UP AREA (A SMALL TURNAROUND SLAB) AND WAITED SEVERAL MINS FOR THE CHEMICAL LOADING OP TO COMPLETE. ONCE THE FIRST CROP DUSTER LOADED WITH CHEMICALS AND TOOK OFF; A SECOND CROP DUSTER (PART OF THE SAME OP) LANDED IMMEDIATELY AND BLOCKED OFF THE SAME SPOT. ONCE AGAIN; I HAD TO WAIT FOR SEVERAL MINS IN THE RUN-UP AREA FOR THE SECOND PLANE TO FINISH LOADING CHEMICALS. ONCE HE TOOK OFF; I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO ACCESS THE TARMAC. IN ADDITION; I OBSERVED THESE ACFT FLYING INCORRECT TFC PATTERNS (R-HAND; LOWER THAN PATTERN ALT). AND WHILE 09R DOES NOT HAVE WX RPTING; I BELIEVE THEY WERE OPERATING BEFORE WE GOT STARTED ON SATURDAY MORNING WHEN THE FIELD WAS STILL PROBABLY IFR (JASPER WAS RPTING 700 FT BROKEN). ONCE I WAS SAFELY ON THE RAMP; I SHUT DOWN AND SUSPENDED THE REST OF OUR OP BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO EXPOSE OUR PLTS TO THE CARELESS AND RECKLESS OP OF THESE CROP DUSTER PLTS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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