Federal Aviation Regulations require airports
with commercial service to have sufficient and
qualified personnel to carry out their snow and
ice control plans during severe weather. Between
Dec. 30, 2013 and Feb. 25, 2014, the FAA began
three separate investigations into the airports
alleged failure to comply with regulations:
Early in the morning of Dec. 30, 2013, two
commercial aircraft were disabled on taxiways
because of unsafe braking conditions.
Regulations require airport personnel to monitor
conditions and close any pavement areas that are
unsafe. Freezing rain and drizzle had been
falling for more than two hours when the airport
allegedly dismissed its maintenance staff at 11
p.m. the previous evening. No airport personnel
were on duty to operate snow-removal and
de-icing equipment after the two passenger
flights landed.
On Jan. 18, 2014, an Aircraft Rescue and Fire
Fighting vehicle slid on ice during a training
exercise and was unable to stop before crossing
a line that marked the entrance to a runway. An
aircraft had just begun its takeoff roll on that
runway, resulting in a runway incursion. The
aircraft departed safely.
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