Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 202.9; Flight Crew Total 4110.5; Flight Crew Type 2057.9
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Runway
General None Reported / Taken
Airport; Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related
LFT has an FDC NOTAM which indicates as follows: LFT 01/006 LFT RWY 4R/22L NE 1433 CLSD WEF 1201XXXXX. My flight was instructed to taxi to and hold short of Runway 22L via Taxiway Foxtrot; Lima; hold short of Runway 22L at Lima. I complied with the taxi instruction. Due to our five hour weather delay caused by the approaching weather system which concerned me as causing the possibility of windshear; I desired to use as much runway as practical for my departure. Once prepared for takeoff; I advised my First Officer to request a back-taxi from the Control Tower on [Runway] 22L. We were given a clearance to back-taxi on Runway 22L; cleared for takeoff; climb and maintain 2;000 FT; and maintain runway heading. When I began my back-taxi; I noted that there were NO runway markings identifying the closed portion of the runway. There were barricades which closed portions of Taxiway Juliet; but I was using Taxiway Lima anyway. There was a displaced threshold which was marked by the yellow chevrons which we are all accustomed to. There was a white line at the end of the displaced threshold (also typical of any other displaced runway threshold of which I am familiar with). I taxied across the white line while looking for some identifiable marking to indicate to me at which point I should make my turn around. As I continued across the white line; it began to become apparent to me that I could not see anything identifying where the runway closure began or ended. Since I was on a displaced threshold and since the Control Tower had cleared me for the back taxi; I believed that I was utilizing the open portion of the runway. At some point after crossing the white line; I realized that I was not going to be able to identify the beginning of the closed portion of the runway; at which point I made my 180 degree turnaround and began my reduced thrust takeoff run without incident. At no point in time did ATC ever instruct me to stop or turn around. If I did in fact encroach on any closed portion of the runway; it was purely due to the lack of proper runway markings to identify where the closure began. Since it is obviously ridiculous to assume that I can accurately gauge 1;433 FT from the cockpit without a distance measuring device; then I think it's fair to say that it is impossible under the circumstances that I have just described to positively identify the proper end of the runway acceptable for use for takeoff. If you compound these factors; with my weather; schedule delays; and windshear concerns; then it is easy to understand how something like this situation can be overlooked. I truly do hope that the Airport Manager at the Lafayette Regional Airport in Lafayette; Louisiana would make a better effort at insuring that the runway environment is properly identified. Furthermore; it would be nice to see them actually open the runway up completely once again. I am very familiar with the field and yet it seems like every time I fly in; there is some new part of the airport NOTAM'ed out of service.
The Reporter stated as he was back-taxiing he began to feel uneasy because he saw the displaced threshold chevrons and attempted to count runway lights but could not accurately determine his position. Uncertain about whether the displaced threshold was also the runway end he thought afterward that he may have incurred the closed part of the runway and so he filed this report. He would suggest some sort of runway marking clearly indicating where the closure begins for aircraft back taxiing.
A corporate pilot reported that he was unable to determine where the closed 1;433 FT of LFT Runway 22L began while back-taxiing from Taxiway L toward the runway's end.