Kumasi Airport in Ghana has been closed once more owing to its runway 20 cracking and subsiding. This follows after the airport was closed year in December to allow for repairs to the same runway.
Ghana's Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has already issued a NOTAM warning pilots to be vigilant on the runway, and are now restricted to using only runway 02.
"According to NOTAM (B0320/13) issued on Thursday April 4, 2013, at 1835GMT, the restriction will persist from Friday April 5 to Friday April 12, 2013 beginning 0600GMT each day. Landing and take-off direction restricted to RWY02 (runway 02) due to broken and sinking surface on RWY20 (runway 20) with threshold runway distance available is 1,200 meters.”
Source [GhanaWeb]
Repairs are currently underway despite assurances from contractors in December that the runway "was now in prime shape." Previous works focused on huge potholes that had begun to appear near the runway centreline.
Persistent damage to runway facilities at the airport has been repeatedly blamed on airlines operating aircraft that far exceed the runway's maximum load bearance.
Currently, Starbow (S9), Antrak Air (O4), Africa World Airlines (AW) and Fly540 (5G) Ghana operate into the airport.
Currently, Starbow (S9), Antrak Air (O4), Africa World Airlines (AW) and Fly540 (5G) Ghana operate into the airport.