Narrative:

Flight from sju was due to depart to stt at PM45. Delayed passenger boarding caused the flight to depart at PM09, next hour, lifting off at PM14. Prior to departure I reminded the captain and operations that the tower closed at stt promptly at the same hour PM30, and we are not legal to operate as per our company manual after the tower closes. Flight time to stt averages 17-28 mins, and after the captain and operations discussed the flight in spanish, they decided for flight to depart sju. Operations stated to us (in english, so I could understand also) that if the stt tower closed while we were en route that we should return to sju. It was the captain's leg, so he chose to fly at 3000' (over water at night) and maintain engine power at maximum continuous torque (mct) in order to shorten the flight. At 25 mi from stt he asked the approach controller for lower, descended to 2500', then called the fiend in sight (at least I couldn't even see the island yet). He continued descending to 1500' after being immediately cleared for the visibility approach and handed off to tower. I contacted tower and was given landing conditions. While we were on an approximately 5 mi final, the stt announced that they could not issue a landing clearance to us and broadcasted that they were closed. I reminded the captain that we were instructed to return to sju if the tower closed, and that we would be illegal to land in stt. He acknowledged, but quietly said something about the passenger need to get to stt. Since he continued his approach, I again respectfully reminded him that we were not legal to land. He grumbled something, continued the approach and landed unauthorized in stt. His actions were not safe and effect both our jobs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH LNDG WHEN TWR WAS CLOSED.

Narrative: FLT FROM SJU WAS DUE TO DEPART TO STT AT PM45. DELAYED PAX BOARDING CAUSED THE FLT TO DEPART AT PM09, NEXT HR, LIFTING OFF AT PM14. PRIOR TO DEP I REMINDED THE CAPT AND OPS THAT THE TWR CLOSED AT STT PROMPTLY AT THE SAME HR PM30, AND WE ARE NOT LEGAL TO OPERATE AS PER OUR COMPANY MANUAL AFTER THE TWR CLOSES. FLT TIME TO STT AVERAGES 17-28 MINS, AND AFTER THE CAPT AND OPS DISCUSSED THE FLT IN SPANISH, THEY DECIDED FOR FLT TO DEPART SJU. OPS STATED TO US (IN ENGLISH, SO I COULD UNDERSTAND ALSO) THAT IF THE STT TWR CLOSED WHILE WE WERE ENRTE THAT WE SHOULD RETURN TO SJU. IT WAS THE CAPT'S LEG, SO HE CHOSE TO FLY AT 3000' (OVER WATER AT NIGHT) AND MAINTAIN ENG PWR AT MAX CONTINUOUS TORQUE (MCT) IN ORDER TO SHORTEN THE FLT. AT 25 MI FROM STT HE ASKED THE APCH CTLR FOR LOWER, DSNDED TO 2500', THEN CALLED THE FIEND IN SIGHT (AT LEAST I COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE ISLAND YET). HE CONTINUED DSNDING TO 1500' AFTER BEING IMMEDIATELY CLRED FOR THE VIS APCH AND HANDED OFF TO TWR. I CONTACTED TWR AND WAS GIVEN LNDG CONDITIONS. WHILE WE WERE ON AN APPROX 5 MI FINAL, THE STT ANNOUNCED THAT THEY COULD NOT ISSUE A LNDG CLRNC TO US AND BROADCASTED THAT THEY WERE CLOSED. I REMINDED THE CAPT THAT WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO SJU IF THE TWR CLOSED, AND THAT WE WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO LAND IN STT. HE ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT QUIETLY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE PAX NEED TO GET TO STT. SINCE HE CONTINUED HIS APCH, I AGAIN RESPECTFULLY REMINDED HIM THAT WE WERE NOT LEGAL TO LAND. HE GRUMBLED SOMETHING, CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED UNAUTH IN STT. HIS ACTIONS WERE NOT SAFE AND EFFECT BOTH OUR JOBS.

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.