Air taxi pilot sees X on runway, lands anyway.

Attributes
ACN	148200
Time
Date	199006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 72d
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	148200
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

As I passed over the airport I noticed a large white 'X' in the center of the runway. This airport has 1 asphalt runway. I circled the runway to determine any visible means of why the runway was 'X'd' or closed. I concluded the reason to be some asphalt patchwork on the overrun of the runway. I proceeded to land and did so west/O incidence. After my passenger departed the airport I called the FSS that I received WX briefing from earlier that morning. I inquired as to why, when given NOTAMS for my destination airport, I was not informed of the runway closure. It was determined that instead of giving the airport identify as my destination, I only gave the name of the town. This town's name happened to be part of another airport's name nearby and the briefer assumed this was my destination. Judgement mistakes: 1) I considered mainly my passenger's convenience when landing on a closed runway. 2) I did not call the airport directly, which I normally do when it is a small, unattended airport to check on airport condition, fuel available, etc. 3) I did not consider another close by airport as an option because that would inconvenience my passenger by having to drive to his destination and interrupting his schedule.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI PLT SEES X ON RWY, LANDS ANYWAY.

Narrative: AS I PASSED OVER THE ARPT I NOTICED A LARGE WHITE 'X' IN THE CENTER OF THE RWY. THIS ARPT HAS 1 ASPHALT RWY. I CIRCLED THE RWY TO DETERMINE ANY VISIBLE MEANS OF WHY THE RWY WAS 'X'D' OR CLOSED. I CONCLUDED THE REASON TO BE SOME ASPHALT PATCHWORK ON THE OVERRUN OF THE RWY. I PROCEEDED TO LAND AND DID SO W/O INCIDENCE. AFTER MY PAX DEPARTED THE ARPT I CALLED THE FSS THAT I RECEIVED WX BRIEFING FROM EARLIER THAT MORNING. I INQUIRED AS TO WHY, WHEN GIVEN NOTAMS FOR MY DEST ARPT, I WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE RWY CLOSURE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT INSTEAD OF GIVING THE ARPT IDENT AS MY DEST, I ONLY GAVE THE NAME OF THE TOWN. THIS TOWN'S NAME HAPPENED TO BE PART OF ANOTHER ARPT'S NAME NEARBY AND THE BRIEFER ASSUMED THIS WAS MY DEST. JUDGEMENT MISTAKES: 1) I CONSIDERED MAINLY MY PAX'S CONVENIENCE WHEN LNDG ON A CLOSED RWY. 2) I DID NOT CALL THE ARPT DIRECTLY, WHICH I NORMALLY DO WHEN IT IS A SMALL, UNATTENDED ARPT TO CHK ON ARPT CONDITION, FUEL AVAILABLE, ETC. 3) I DID NOT CONSIDER ANOTHER CLOSE BY ARPT AS AN OPTION BECAUSE THAT WOULD INCONVENIENCE MY PAX BY HAVING TO DRIVE TO HIS DEST AND INTERRUPTING HIS SCHEDULE.

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.