LaGuardia runway shut by sinkhole

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shut LaGuardia Airport’s Runway 4/22 on Wednesday, May 20, after crews found a sinkhole during a daily morning inspection of the airfield. The closure removed one of the airport’s two runways just as Memorial Day traffic was building, and the Federal Aviation Administration said it was slowing flights into LaGuardia because of weather and the sinkhole. Airport officials said Friday that the runway reopened after inspections and repairs. They also said the cause of the sinkhole remains under investigation. ### Where exactly was the problem, and when was it found? Crews found the sinkhole at about 11 a.m. on Wednesday near Runway 4/22 while conducting LaGuardia’s daily airfield inspection, according to the Port Authority. The runway was immediately shut down so emergency construction and engineering crews could begin repairs and evaluate the area. (abcnews.com) Runway 4/22 is one of LaGuardia’s two runways for commercial traffic. That made the shutdown more than a localized maintenance issue: the airport stayed open, but it had to operate with reduced capacity for arrivals and departures. ### Why did one runway closure disrupt so many flights? (abcnews.com) The FAA said on May 20 that it was slowing flights into LaGuardia “due to weather and a sinkhole on Runway 4/22.” The Port Authority separately warned travelers to expect delays and cancellations and said forecast thunderstorms later that day could worsen the disruption. (abcnews.com) LaGuardia remained open to flight operations during the closure, but airport officials said reduced capacity affected operations. By Friday, after the runway reopened, LaGuardia still warned travelers to expect residual delays and to check flight status with their airlines. ### What did crews do before reopening the runway? (kxel.com) LaGuardia Airport said Friday that crews used ground-penetrating radar to inspect the airfield pavement after the sinkhole was discovered. The airport said that process identified “areas of concern” that were then repaired before the runway was returned to service. (abcnews.com) ABC7 New York reported that airport officials had earlier targeted Saturday morning for reopening before announcing Friday that repairs had been completed. NBC New York reported that additional inspections had identified possible areas of concern, prompting more caution before the runway was cleared. (abcnews.com) ### What have officials said about the cause? LaGuardia Airport said Friday that its investigation into the cause of the sinkhole is ongoing. The airport’s public statement did not identify a cause, but it said repairs were completed after the radar inspection and proactive fixes. ABC7 New York reported that an ongoing fuel-line project at LaGuardia was being investigated as a possible cause. (abc7ny.com) That report attributed the information to ongoing reporting, and airport officials had not publicly confirmed a cause as of Friday. ### What did travelers hear and see during the shutdown? (abcnews.com) Audio posted by ATC.com captured a pilot asking a ground controller what had happened to the runway as crews responded on Wednesday. “There’s a sinkhole,” the controller replied, adding that it looked like equipment was already out there. (abc7ny.com) Local television reports and airport statements described a multi-day repair effort stretching into the holiday travel period. Travelers were told throughout the closure to check directly with their airlines as delays and cancellations continued. ### What happens next for passengers and the airport? (abcnews.com) Runway 4/22 reopened on Friday, May 22, after what LaGuardia called thorough inspections and completed repairs. The next step is the Port Authority’s continuing investigation into what caused the sinkhole, while travelers are still being told to monitor airline updates for any remaining delays over the Memorial Day weekend. (abcnews.com) (kxel.com)