Getting a bit mad

I stumbled on a reference to other problems at the Lexington, KY (LEX) airport that are starting to concern me.

1) July 1991 (NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System #183628) -- Commercial jet has confusion with tower over whether it was cleared for takeoff and what runway it is on. Recommendation in the report is for "better runway markings" to deal with confusion between runways 22 and 26.

2) November 1993. (ASRS #256788) -- Commercial jet was cleared for runway 26 but instead lined up on runway 22. Flight crew was checking weather radar before starting take-off roll when both the tower and the flight crew realized the error and aborted the takeoff. Incident report includes phrase "confusing RWY [runway] INTXN [intersection]" and recommends that a warning page be added similiar to that in place at Houston's Hobby airport. This instuction reads:

"DUE TO COMPLEX RY CONFIGURATION; WHEN TAXIING TO THRS 12L & 12R AND 17 CHECK COMPASS HEADING BEFORE DEPARTING."

3) Last August (2005) (ASRS #668329) -- Commercial jet started takeoff roll without flaps deployed. Incident report included complaint that time on ground was not sufficient and a tired crew contributed to the error.

4) September 2004 (ASRS #630644) -- Local FAA radar operator complained that short staff and funding was seriously affecting maintenance of equipment (radar, radios, air traffic controller terminals) at the airport.

"Those types of poorly thought out decisions can cost lives."

See a pattern.

At least two other commercial airliners have almost crashed in the last 15 years due to poorly marked runways at LEX. The recommendations for even the most simple change (check compass before starting takeoff roll) have been ignored. In the previous cases, the air traffic controllers were able to avert a disaster, but Sunday the luck ran out.

IF LEX has a pattern of making "poorly thought out decisions" and placing money ahead of safety, it is time that something is done about this!

Links:

Aero News.net reporting on 1993 incident.

Airline pilots message board discussing crash

Flight Aware news discussing the 1993 incident.

Finally, a quote from "CalCapt", a "737 Captain" on the Airline Pilot forums:

"Training today at most airlines is referred to as error management. It is recognized that mistakes will be made, and we are trained to recognize, verify, verbalize and back up the other guy to avoid a mistake turning into a tragedy. To suggest that mistakes will not be made by crews is ignorant and shallow thinking. Even the best of the best make mistakes - It's catching them that should be our goal as aviation professionals."

More to come. . .