Charter pilot disputes claim that he was not authority/authorized to land at closed airport when WX ...

Attributes
ACN	144997
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cef
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cef
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : cef
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1460
ASRS Report	144997
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 2300
ASRS Report	145061
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

On 5/wed/90 at approximately XY45 a.M., departed bdr en route to cef on an IFR flight plan. After being handed off to bdl approach, we were advised that the tower at cef was closed until 0700 a.M. We acknowledged. We then asked approach if there were any restr to landing with the tower being closed. Approach advised us to stand by. He came back about 10 mins later and told us there was nothing he could find in writing that said we couldn't land. He vectored us on to the localizer from the ILS 23 approach. The current WX was obtained from FSS. Reported WX was 1100 overcast, 10 mi visibility. We shot the approach, broke out and landed. We taxied into the ramp. A truck then pulled up and 2 men from airport security asked if we had just landed. We said yes. I was later taken to operations headquarters and told to fill out a form stating my name, address, license #, aircraft #, time we landed, etc. I was told the form would be sent to the FAA. Issues: FSS never advised us that the airport was closed. We obtained a standard briefing and were given NOTAMS. If the airport was closed, why do they give current WX? Why was the ILS up if the airport was closed? Why is the frequency listed as CTAF? P.south.: our intention is not to put the blame on the controller. We only want to show that we feel we used reasonable caution in investigating the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER PLT DISPUTES CLAIM THAT HE WAS NOT AUTH TO LAND AT CLOSED ARPT WHEN WX REPORT WAS GENERATED ALONG WITH AN OPERATIONAL ILS AND A PUBLISHED CTAF FREQ AVAILABLE. CLAIMS THAT COORD WITH APCH CTLR AND FSS WAS REASONABLE AND CAUTIOUS.

Narrative: ON 5/WED/90 AT APPROX XY45 A.M., DEPARTED BDR ENRTE TO CEF ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO BDL APCH, WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE TWR AT CEF WAS CLOSED UNTIL 0700 A.M. WE ACKNOWLEDGED. WE THEN ASKED APCH IF THERE WERE ANY RESTR TO LNDG WITH THE TWR BEING CLOSED. APCH ADVISED US TO STAND BY. HE CAME BACK ABOUT 10 MINS LATER AND TOLD US THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD FIND IN WRITING THAT SAID WE COULDN'T LAND. HE VECTORED US ON TO THE LOC FROM THE ILS 23 APCH. THE CURRENT WX WAS OBTAINED FROM FSS. RPTED WX WAS 1100 OVCST, 10 MI VISIBILITY. WE SHOT THE APCH, BROKE OUT AND LANDED. WE TAXIED INTO THE RAMP. A TRUCK THEN PULLED UP AND 2 MEN FROM ARPT SECURITY ASKED IF WE HAD JUST LANDED. WE SAID YES. I WAS LATER TAKEN TO OPS HQ AND TOLD TO FILL OUT A FORM STATING MY NAME, ADDRESS, LICENSE #, ACFT #, TIME WE LANDED, ETC. I WAS TOLD THE FORM WOULD BE SENT TO THE FAA. ISSUES: FSS NEVER ADVISED US THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED. WE OBTAINED A STANDARD BRIEFING AND WERE GIVEN NOTAMS. IF THE ARPT WAS CLOSED, WHY DO THEY GIVE CURRENT WX? WHY WAS THE ILS UP IF THE ARPT WAS CLOSED? WHY IS THE FREQ LISTED AS CTAF? P.S.: OUR INTENTION IS NOT TO PUT THE BLAME ON THE CTLR. WE ONLY WANT TO SHOW THAT WE FEEL WE USED REASONABLE CAUTION IN INVESTIGATING THE SIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Charter pilot disputes claim that he was not authority/authorized to land at closed airport when WX report was generated along with an operational ILS and a published CTAF frequency available. Claims that coordination with approach controller and FSS was reasonable and cautious.