Massachusetts Airport Closed Twice By Flood

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For the second time in two weeks, Norwood Airport in Massachusetts has been closed by flooding and dozens of aircraft were stranded for the weekend. A storm that dumped six inches of rain on the region caused the Neponset River to flood and the airport was closed last Tuesday. By Thursday, water was up to three feet deep in some areas, local pilot Mike Young told AVweb. “There were actually fish on the runway,” Young said. The FAA was scheduled to send engineers to the airport to examine the runways Monday. Meanwhile, a charter company is being criticized for allegedly defying an earlier flood closure to deliver two shipments of donor organs.

During the first flood, the airport was closed the night of March 15. On March 17, two Boston Air Charter flights departed with the donor organs and company’s chief pilot, Douglas Lyons, told the Norwood Transcript and Bulletin the operations were safe. “We saw we had sufficient length and needed to get the organs out,” Lyons said. “I thought the runway was safe. Four pilots said it was dry.” The Norwood Airport Commission is considering “disciplinary action” against the company with member Kevin Shaughnessy urging some kind of censure. “Though the intention seems good, there are rules here and the reason we have them is for safety,” he told the newspaper.

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