IAD LCL CTLR RPTS ACFT ARE MAKING VISUAL APCHS TO THE NEW PARALLEL NORTH/SOUTH RWY UNDER CONSTRUCTION TO THE WEST OF THE EXISTING RWYS INSTEAD OF RWY 19R.

Date: 2007-10 · Aircraft: MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: approach

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|ground-event-encounter-other-unknown

Synopsis

IAD LCL CTLR RPTS ACFT ARE MAKING VISUAL APCHS TO THE NEW PARALLEL NORTH/SOUTH RWY UNDER CONSTRUCTION TO THE WEST OF THE EXISTING RWYS INSTEAD OF RWY 19R.

Narrative

AN MD80 HAD PREVIOUSLY CHECKED IN ON A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 19R AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO LAND. LOCAL CTL WEST'S (LCW) ATTENTION WAS THEN FOCUSED ON ANOTHER RWY WHERE AN ACFT WAS HOLDING IN POSITION FOR A RELEASE. ON A TWO MILE FINAL AT APPROX 1600 FT MSL; THE MD80 REALIZED THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT AND INITIATED A GAR WITH LOCAL CTL WEST. LCW SAW THAT THE ACFT WAS LINED UP FOR THE CONSTRUCTION RWY (FUTURE RWY 19R) AND ALSO ISSUED GAR INSTRUCTIONS. THE VISIBILITY ON THE WX SEQUENCE WAS RPTED AS 6 WITH HAZE. THE TOWER FRONT LINE MANAGER RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON ARPT AUTHORITY WHOSE CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON THE NEW RWY WERE ALARMED. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 5 TIMES IN THE LAST 5 MONTHS AND; IN FACT; JUST HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY. THE RWY CONSTRUCTION IS PROGRESSING AND THEY HAVE POURED A LOT OF CONCRETE. THIS SCENARIO ONLY SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN IN A SOUTH OPERATION WITH VISUAL APCHES TO RWY 19R. IT WAS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AT THE RWY SAFETY ACTION TEAM (RSAT) MEETING HELD IN SEPTEMBER. WHAT HAS THE ARPT AUTHORITY AND IAD ATC DONE TO MITIGATE THIS: 1) MWAA HAS PLACED BIG ILLUMINATED SIGNS WITH X'S AT EITHER END OF THE CONSTRUCTION RWY. PLTS RPT NOT SEEING THEM WHEN TURNING FOR LINE-UP SEVERAL MILES OUT. 2) THE APCH PLATES HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO SHOW THE OUTLINE OF THE CONSTRUCTION RWY. WAS THIS CARRIED OVER TO THE ELECTRONIC VERSIONS? 3) ATC HAS PLACE A CAUTION ON THE ATIS TO WARN PLTS ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION RWY. WE ARE CONSIDERING MOVING IT UP EARLIER IN THE BROADCAST. 4) I HAVE ASKED POTOMAC APCH (PCT) QA MANAGER TO LOOK INTO THE SITUATION TO SEE IF FINAL CTLRS CAN HELP MITIGATE THIS -- PERHAPS BY ISSUING A CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 19R LOCALIZER IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VISUAL APCH CLRNC. HOWEVER; I DON'T THINK THAT THIS GOES FAR ENOUGH. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT ASAP TO USER GROUPS/AIRLINES/ASSOCIATIONS. SURELY; THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE WITH OTHER ARPTS WHO HAVE BUILT NEW PARALLELS?CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT FACILITY MANAGEMENT WAS ACTIVELY CONSIDERING REQUIRING CLRNCS TO INCLUDE PHRASES SIMILAR TO THOSE SUGGESTED BY THE RPTR. RPTR IS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THIS WILL PROVE ADEQUATE.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.