Small aircraft pilot landed on closed airport.

Attributes
ACN	170251
Time
Date	199102
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : g05
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 104 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	170251
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approached airport for landing. While crossing field over center of runway looking for a windsock I noticed a large yellow cross near the runway. This airport is a grass field, essentially a hilltop. Runway width varies from 100-275', and as I xed overhead I was trying to determine exactly where the landing area was. As there was plenty of space to the rh side of the yellow cross, I elected to land on that side. When taxiing in I was approached by an irate airport person who informed me that the airport was closed. He couldn't believe that I hadn't seen the big yellow 'X'. It immediately became clear to me what the significance of the 'X' was. I hadn't attributed it to a closed runway earlier because of the irregular shape of the field.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT LANDED ON CLOSED ARPT.

Narrative: APCHED ARPT FOR LNDG. WHILE XING FIELD OVER CTR OF RWY LOOKING FOR A WINDSOCK I NOTICED A LARGE YELLOW CROSS NEAR THE RWY. THIS ARPT IS A GRASS FIELD, ESSENTIALLY A HILLTOP. RWY WIDTH VARIES FROM 100-275', AND AS I XED OVERHEAD I WAS TRYING TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHERE THE LNDG AREA WAS. AS THERE WAS PLENTY OF SPACE TO THE RH SIDE OF THE YELLOW CROSS, I ELECTED TO LAND ON THAT SIDE. WHEN TAXIING IN I WAS APCHED BY AN IRATE ARPT PERSON WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED. HE COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT I HADN'T SEEN THE BIG YELLOW 'X'. IT IMMEDIATELY BECAME CLR TO ME WHAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 'X' WAS. I HADN'T ATTRIBUTED IT TO A CLOSED RWY EARLIER BECAUSE OF THE IRREGULAR SHAPE OF THE FIELD.

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.