Narrative:

I was scheduled to fly from las to gcn. Since the flts had been running late due to WX I was concerned about making it back to the canyon before the tower closed. We have no certified WX observer at gcn, so we use the tower for that function of far 135.225. While still getting ready for this flight, the director of maintenance came up to my first officer and me. He told us that the director of operations had told him to tell us that he had phoned the tower to stay open late for us. With this assurance, we departed. During the flight my first officer remarked that the director of operations had persuaded the tower to stay open on other occasions, so I wasn't too concerned. The flight was in IMC conditions on the way over. About 20 mi from the field, ZLA said, 'flight X fly heading 075 degrees for the 12 DME arc, current altimeter for the canyon is XXXX.' he paused, then he started up again. 'Flight X the tower closed 10 mins ago.' just then, a company flight behind got on center frequency and said, 'hey, is this legal? The tower's closed.' luckily, my first officer and I broke out into VFR conditions, saw the field, and cancelled the IFR. When I got back to las, I confronted both the director of operations and the director of maintenance. I found out that the director of operations had lied to me to get me to go to gcn. I don't think that the FAA is after me, but!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT COMMUTER DEPARTS BELIEVING TWR WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR WX OBSERVATION. TWR CLOSES BUT LTT BREAKS OUT INTO VFR.

Narrative: I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY FROM LAS TO GCN. SINCE THE FLTS HAD BEEN RUNNING LATE DUE TO WX I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING IT BACK TO THE CANYON BEFORE THE TWR CLOSED. WE HAVE NO CERTIFIED WX OBSERVER AT GCN, SO WE USE THE TWR FOR THAT FUNCTION OF FAR 135.225. WHILE STILL GETTING READY FOR THIS FLT, THE DIRECTOR OF MAINT CAME UP TO MY FO AND ME. HE TOLD US THAT THE DIRECTOR OF OPS HAD TOLD HIM TO TELL US THAT HE HAD PHONED THE TWR TO STAY OPEN LATE FOR US. WITH THIS ASSURANCE, WE DEPARTED. DURING THE FLT MY FO REMARKED THAT THE DIRECTOR OF OPS HAD PERSUADED THE TWR TO STAY OPEN ON OTHER OCCASIONS, SO I WASN'T TOO CONCERNED. THE FLT WAS IN IMC CONDITIONS ON THE WAY OVER. ABOUT 20 MI FROM THE FIELD, ZLA SAID, 'FLT X FLY HDG 075 DEGS FOR THE 12 DME ARC, CURRENT ALTIMETER FOR THE CANYON IS XXXX.' HE PAUSED, THEN HE STARTED UP AGAIN. 'FLT X THE TWR CLOSED 10 MINS AGO.' JUST THEN, A COMPANY FLT BEHIND GOT ON CTR FREQ AND SAID, 'HEY, IS THIS LEGAL? THE TWR'S CLOSED.' LUCKILY, MY FO AND I BROKE OUT INTO VFR CONDITIONS, SAW THE FIELD, AND CANCELLED THE IFR. WHEN I GOT BACK TO LAS, I CONFRONTED BOTH THE DIRECTOR OF OPS AND THE DIRECTOR OF MAINT. I FOUND OUT THAT THE DIRECTOR OF OPS HAD LIED TO ME TO GET ME TO GO TO GCN. I DON'T THINK THAT THE FAA IS AFTER ME, BUT!

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.