DeKalb, Illinois, Council Approves Gas Station Near Airport Runway
New Gas Station Could Pose a Hazard
Given the relatively high rate of accidents for private aircraft versus large carriers in the United States, the location, near small, landing aircraft, raises safety concerns. Anyone driving on Peace Road on the overpass above the Union Pacific tracks to the south of this intersection, looking north, will pass within feet of the runway, on the right. The gas station, along with a restaurant and convenience store, will be built on the southeast corner of the intersection, relatively close to landing planes, where there once stood some old aircraft hangers that have been torn down.
The National Transportation Safety Board records at least one accident where a small plane landed in a parking lot next to a gas station within two miles of its destination airport in Sherman, Texas. Fortunately, there was only one minor injury.
More recently, the NTSB reports, an Airbus overshot the runway in Sao Paulo, Brasil, hitting a gas station and killing 186 people in the resulting fire, among them 18 people on the ground, 6 crew members and 162 passengers.
No planes as large as an Airbus use DeKalb's airport. Nevertheless, the proximity of the gas station to the runway causes concern. Residents of central DeKalb, Illinois, are used to seeing small planes make their slow descent towards the runway directly over town. It is not uncommon to see pilots circling town. What many residents do not know, however, is that many of the pilots in those planes are student pilots.
Those pilots are well supervised. The airport is home to Midwest Flight Academy, a flight school that trains new pilots. Last year they graduated approximately 100 pilots with a high success rate. Even so, some residents worry that a gas station at that location, even though it is economically desirable and convenient, might pose a danger, especially if one of the student pilots should veer off course or stall on a landing approach.
The City of DeKalb would receive a per gallon fee from the gas station on a monthly basis. Alderman "Wogen stated this is a good idea, and it is becoming more and more important to bring in businesses and offer amenities at the airport." The resolution passed 6-0-1.
MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL CITY OF DEKALB September 24, 2007, City of DeKalb
NTSB Identification: FTW02LA208., National Transportation Safety Board
DCA07RA059, National Transportation Safety Board
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1 Comments
Post a CommentThis is total paranoia. The danger here is utterly insignificant. Fuel tanks are buried underground and are well protected. The types of aircraft that student pilots fly are small, light, slow, and carry perhaps 20 gallons of fuel, less than your car. According to the FAA, over 90% of light aircraft accidents don't even result in injuries. Someone has been watching too much television.