Cessna 172 N54020 incident near Reading, Pennsylvania

Probable cause

The tower local controller permitted an aircraft to conduct a low approach and another aircraft to land on a closed runway. Contributing to the incident were the arrival radar controller who failed to correct the local controller when advised an aircraft would be landing on a closed runway and the facility management's tower staffing policy.

NTSB analysis

On August 27, 2008, two controller operational errors occurred at Reading Regional Airport/Carl A. Spaatz Field (RDG) in Reading, Pennsylvania. The first error occurred at 1614 eastern daylight time when the tower controller cleared an aircraft for a low approach to a closed runway without providing an altitude restriction and the second error occurred about 10 minutes later when another aircraft landed on the same closed runway. At the time of the incidents, there were four controllers assigned to the facility. Two certified air traffic controllers were in the tower cab: one controller working radar approach control/flight data combined at the approach control position, one controller working the tower local control/ground control/controller-in-charge positions combined at the local control position, and two controllers were on break. Runway 18/36 was closed and had been closed for 4 weeks. Notices to airmen (NOTAM) 07/003 and 07/014 were in effect. RDG NOTAM 07/003 advised that personnel and equipment were working at the approach end of runway 18; RDG NOTAM 07/014 advised that runway 18/36 was closed from 0700 to 1700 EDT Monday through Friday. The runway closure was broadcast on the automatic terminal information service (ATIS) and posted on the status information area (SIA) board in the tower cab.

Both incidents occurred during day visual meteorological conditions with 10 miles visibility. Runway 18/36 was dry.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for OPS08IA012 for the full record.