ATCT CTLR AT FAI RPTS ACFT ARE LNDG IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE END OF RWY 1R AND THE THRESHOLD OF THE GRAVEL 'SKI STRIP' RWY 1 WHICH IS SHORTLY BEYOND AND IN LINE WITH RWY 1R. THERE ARE NO SURFACE MARKINGS INDICATING THE BEGINNING OF RWY 1.

Date: 2008-07 · Aircraft: PA-18/19 Super Cub · Phase: landing

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|ground-excursion-runway

Synopsis

ATCT CTLR AT FAI RPTS ACFT ARE LNDG IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE END OF RWY 1R AND THE THRESHOLD OF THE GRAVEL 'SKI STRIP' RWY 1 WHICH IS SHORTLY BEYOND AND IN LINE WITH RWY 1R. THERE ARE NO SURFACE MARKINGS INDICATING THE BEGINNING OF RWY 1.

Narrative

BOTH ACFT LANDED SHORT OF THE SKI STRIP. THEY TOUCHED DOWN IN THE GRAVEL AREA BETWEEN THE SKI STRIP AND RWY 1R. THE ACFT WERE NOT DAMAGED AND I DOUBT THAT THE PLTS EVEN KNEW THEY LANDED PRIOR TO THE THRESHOLD. THESE EVENTS WERE ACTUALLY SEPARATE; I COMBINED THEM IN THIS RPT FOR MY CONVENIENCE. THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE BECAUSE THE AREA BETWEEN THE RWYS IS OF THE SAME MATERIAL AS THE SKI STRIP. I RECOMMEND THAT GRASS BE PLANTED IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE SKI STRIP AND RWY 1R.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR IS CONCERNED THAT ACFT WHICH USE THIS RWY; USUALLY TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED STOL BUSH TYPE ACFT; MIGHT HAVE A COLLISION HAZARD WITH TAXIING ACFT CROSSING THE END OF RWY 1R AT TXWY T. HE ADVISES NEARLY ALL PLTS WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE TECHNICAL LAYOUT OF THE RWY WILL LAND IN THE AREA SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD TO MINIMIZE TAXI TO THE RAMP. CTLRS ARE UNWILLING TO CHARGE VIOLATIONS FOR DOING SO BECAUSE OF THE EXACTLY SIMILAR APPEARANCE OF THAT AREA TO THE ACTUAL RWY SURFACE. HE STATED IT IS LIKE A SPEED TRAP DESIGNED TO LURE UNSUSPECTING PLTS INTO A DEVIATION.

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