Narrative:

We were on houston center maintaining 2800' MSL until established on the approach to btr airport, where the tower was closed. At btr VOR we turned outbnd on the 053 degree radial to comit intersection with the intention of executing the entire ILS 22R approach procedure. We saw the runway and turned downwind for a visual approach prior to comit (IAF). Landed visually making all required traffic advisories on CTAF. Prior to the approach I had read company and operations specifications for operations at uncontrolled airports, but I failed to get a specific clearance from ATC for a visual approach and/or cancel IFR to proceed visually. After re-review of procedure I recognized my error. Further clarification of apches to uncontrolled airports is necessary, because I find the rules for visual apches to be somewhat confusing. I may not have violated any rule in this instance, but enough ambiguity exists in my mind to seek clarification. Safety was never compromised, no traffic was in the area. 2 other factors may be significant in this event: 1) fatigue. I was very tired. This was our 5TH and last leg of a day that had started around xa EDT. I had not slept well the night prior to the beginning of this series of flts. 2) inexperience. This was my 1ST encounter with an uncontrolled (closed tower) airport as an airline captain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PREPARING FOR ILS APCH, SIGHTED ARPT, ENTERED DOWNWIND, LANDED.

Narrative: WE WERE ON HOUSTON CENTER MAINTAINING 2800' MSL UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH TO BTR ARPT, WHERE THE TWR WAS CLOSED. AT BTR VOR WE TURNED OUTBND ON THE 053 DEG RADIAL TO COMIT INTXN WITH THE INTENTION OF EXECUTING THE ENTIRE ILS 22R APCH PROC. WE SAW THE RWY AND TURNED DOWNWIND FOR A VISUAL APCH PRIOR TO COMIT (IAF). LANDED VISUALLY MAKING ALL REQUIRED TFC ADVISORIES ON CTAF. PRIOR TO THE APCH I HAD READ COMPANY AND OPS SPECS FOR OPERATIONS AT UNCONTROLLED ARPTS, BUT I FAILED TO GET A SPECIFIC CLRNC FROM ATC FOR A VISUAL APCH AND/OR CANCEL IFR TO PROCEED VISUALLY. AFTER RE-REVIEW OF PROC I RECOGNIZED MY ERROR. FURTHER CLARIFICATION OF APCHES TO UNCONTROLLED ARPTS IS NECESSARY, BECAUSE I FIND THE RULES FOR VISUAL APCHES TO BE SOMEWHAT CONFUSING. I MAY NOT HAVE VIOLATED ANY RULE IN THIS INSTANCE, BUT ENOUGH AMBIGUITY EXISTS IN MY MIND TO SEEK CLARIFICATION. SAFETY WAS NEVER COMPROMISED, NO TFC WAS IN THE AREA. 2 OTHER FACTORS MAY BE SIGNIFICANT IN THIS EVENT: 1) FATIGUE. I WAS VERY TIRED. THIS WAS OUR 5TH AND LAST LEG OF A DAY THAT HAD STARTED AROUND XA EDT. I HAD NOT SLEPT WELL THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS SERIES OF FLTS. 2) INEXPERIENCE. THIS WAS MY 1ST ENCOUNTER WITH AN UNCONTROLLED (CLOSED TWR) ARPT AS AN AIRLINE CAPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.