Page:CAB Accident Report, American Airlines Flight 20.pdf/13

This page has been validated.

- 12 -

runways which are numbered 1-4, 2-5, and 3-6. Runway 1-4 extends in a northwest-southeast direction and is 3,100 feet long. Runway 2-5 runs 3,656 feet in a northeast-southwest direction intersecting runway 1-4 in the northwest corner of the field at a right angle. Runway 3-6 runs approximately north and south and intersects runways 1-4 and 2-5. The over all length of the available landing area in this runway is approximately 5000 feet. However, only the segment of 2,561 feet between the points of intersection with the other runways is paved and the 2,400 feet north of the intersection with runway 2-5, while usable, is unpaved. At the midway point of runway 3-6 the curve of the levee approaches to a point within 300 feet of the runway, and the levee rises to a maximum height of 27 feet above the airport. However, from this point the levee curves to the east away from the runway in both a northeast and a southeast direction.

There are no flush type lights along the edges of the runways for use in night landings nor are there any neon approach lights at the end of the runways. Instead, the only identification marks appear in the boundary lighting system where two green range lights mark the flight path from the end of each runway. These lights are 150 or 200 feet apart and are located from 400 to 2400 feet from the end of the paved runways. The levee is lined with red obstruction lights which form a part of the boundary lighting system of the airport.

As Captain Bryant circled the airport to the left, in order