Sinkhole closes runway at Dallas-Fort Worth airport
A 25-foot wide sinkhole has forced the closure of one runway at Dallas Fort-Worth (DFW) international airport, a major hub in the southern US. Six other runways remain in service, and there is no estimate as to when the sinkhole might be repaired.
Airfield inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) found the sinkhole Tuesday morning, in the “safe area” between a taxiway and runway 18-L, airport spokesman David Magana told the Dallas Morning News. Airport officials closed the runway until the sinkhole could be repaired.
“The FAA is operating around the closure,” Magana said, adding that the closure of runway 18-L did not affect any flight departure times this morning.
Delays reported at DFW Airport Tuesday because of a runway sinkhole. TUE0217 from KTVT on #newspathnow.com pic.twitter.com/NKftbN8NSU
— CBS News Southwest (@cbsnewsSW) May 26, 2015
American Airlines, which operates more flights out of DFW than any other airline, has reported “no operational impact,” according to Magana.
“Flight traffic and delay rates are at normal levels,” he said in a statement.
#DFW Airport has closed Runway 18L temporarily as a precaution while crews assess a sinkhole that has been reported adjacent to the runway.
— DFW Airport (@dfwairport) May 26, 2015
As of 11:00am local time, Flightaware.com was reporting delays of15 to 30 minutes “and increasing.”
The sinkhole is not located on the runway or taxiway, but in the safety area. The runway will remain closed until repairs are completed.
— DFW Airport (@dfwairport) May 26, 2015
There was no explanation for the sinkhole’s origin. Residents of the region have complained about earthquakes and sinkholes for the past two years, blaming the hydraulic fracking in the nearby Barnett Shale field. Oil and gas companies have said there is no evidence that fracking was to blame.
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