Nova Scotia

AC624 crash: one remaining runway at airport could limit certain landings

As Transportation Safety Board investigators continue their work on the crash site Air Canada Flight 624, Halifax Stanfield International Airport's longest runway remains closed.

Airport says some wind directions could prevent small aircraft from landing

Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigators on scene Monday morning at the Air Canada AC 624 crash site. (Craig Paisley/CBC)

As Transportation Safety Board investigators continue their work on the crash site of Air Canada Flight 624, the Halifax Stanfield International Airport's longest runway remains closed. 

A second, shorter runway remains open, however depending on wind direction certain planes may not be able to land at the airport.

The 05-23 runway where the Airbus A320 crashed early Sunday is 3,200 metres long and used primarily for planes landing or taking off in a north or south direction. The shorter 14-32 runway runs perpendicular, and is used for planes flying primarily east or west.

Nav Canada, which operates the country's civil air navigation service, makes decisions on which runway to use based on aircraft size and wind direction. With one of the two runway surfaces out of commission, there is a chance some flights may be unable to land.

This diagram shows the two runways at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. (Brett Ruskin/CBC)

Halifax airport spokesman Peter Spurway says certain prevailing wind directions may inhibit small planes from landing or taking off.

He said the airport has not experienced those cross winds since Sunday's crash, but they are possible.

There is no indication when Transportation Safety Board officials may finish their on-site analysis, or when 05-23 runway will reopen.