Office of Aviation Safety
Airport and Survival
Issues
Bombardier CRJ-200
Pinnacle Airlines
Traverse City, Michigan
April 12, 2007
Traverse City Airport (TVC)
• Part 139 certificated airport
• Snow and ice control plan
– Runway contamination removal
– Runway surface condition reporting
Snow Removal Activities
• Before accident flight arrived
– Runway plowed full length and width
– Field condition report issued
• Increasing snowfall
• 10 minutes later - braking action “nil”
Airport Condition Report
Options
• TVC operations website (real time)
• Notice to airmen
• Direct communications with pilots on
common traffic advisory frequency
(CTAF)
Airfield Communications
• 12:25 a.m. – Initial contact with TVC operations
personnel
• 12:27 a.m. – Report of “thin wet snow over
patchy thin ice” received
• First runway contamination indication
• 12:38 a.m. – Braking action “nil” report
• Not heard by pilots
• 12:41 a.m. – Braking action “probably nil” report
• Captain requested confirmation
• TVC airport operations did not confirm
FAA Advisory Material
• Advisory Circular
– Triggers for snow removal: snow depth
– No triggers based on friction
assessments
• SAFO 06012
– Operations in “nil” conditions unsafe
• No FAA restrictions on airports
regarding friction
Accident Detection and
Location
• Aircraft rescue and firefighting crew
unsure of accident location
• Forward-looking infrared device did
not help
• Little Rock, Arkansas accident
– Recommendation to evaluate crash
detection and location systems
– Classified “Open – Unacceptable
Response”