Narrative:

Returning from a law enforcement mission, winds at home airfield were gusting to 30 plus KTS, at an angle perpendicular to the only 'open' runway. The crosswind component exceeded the 'demonstrated limitation' of my aircraft. I chose to land on a runway -- closed, but in-line with the strong winds. Several factors 'forced' that decision: I knew the runway was in fine shape and of adequate length. I had been told that the airport manager had previously closed the runway for reasons having to do with a training aircraft mishap, and that there was no real legitimate reason to do so. Not a week earlier, while flying with a significantly more experienced pilot, we had planned to do the same thing (land on the closed runway), in the event that wind speed remained high. There was an operational need to return the aircraft to our facility. The nearest airport with a suitable runway was a major field, difficult for our home- based crew to access that day, in terms of retrieving us. The decision to land on the closed runway was made earlier in the flight, with the concurrence of my copilot (a less experienced pilot). I announced my intentions on unicom, 10 mins out, and sought to contact the airport manager by radio, with no luck. I overflew the field to ensure the runway's condition, and then with great difficulty, set the plane down. The winds were a bear! Probably the only 'systematic' aspect to this concerns the runway closing process. The airport manager who is known to be basically 'goofy' closed the runway for a reason I thought was ridiculous. Still, I should have just gone elsewhere in retrospect. I had enough gas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANDED ON A KNOWN CLOSED RWY DUE TO HIGH WIND CONDITIONS.

Narrative: RETURNING FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT MISSION, WINDS AT HOME AIRFIELD WERE GUSTING TO 30 PLUS KTS, AT AN ANGLE PERPENDICULAR TO THE ONLY 'OPEN' RWY. THE XWIND COMPONENT EXCEEDED THE 'DEMONSTRATED LIMITATION' OF MY ACFT. I CHOSE TO LAND ON A RWY -- CLOSED, BUT IN-LINE WITH THE STRONG WINDS. SEVERAL FACTORS 'FORCED' THAT DECISION: I KNEW THE RWY WAS IN FINE SHAPE AND OF ADEQUATE LENGTH. I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT THE ARPT MGR HAD PREVIOUSLY CLOSED THE RWY FOR REASONS HAVING TO DO WITH A TRAINING ACFT MISHAP, AND THAT THERE WAS NO REAL LEGITIMATE REASON TO DO SO. NOT A WK EARLIER, WHILE FLYING WITH A SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EXPERIENCED PLT, WE HAD PLANNED TO DO THE SAME THING (LAND ON THE CLOSED RWY), IN THE EVENT THAT WIND SPD REMAINED HIGH. THERE WAS AN OPERATIONAL NEED TO RETURN THE ACFT TO OUR FACILITY. THE NEAREST ARPT WITH A SUITABLE RWY WAS A MAJOR FIELD, DIFFICULT FOR OUR HOME- BASED CREW TO ACCESS THAT DAY, IN TERMS OF RETRIEVING US. THE DECISION TO LAND ON THE CLOSED RWY WAS MADE EARLIER IN THE FLT, WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF MY COPLT (A LESS EXPERIENCED PLT). I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS ON UNICOM, 10 MINS OUT, AND SOUGHT TO CONTACT THE ARPT MGR BY RADIO, WITH NO LUCK. I OVERFLEW THE FIELD TO ENSURE THE RWY'S CONDITION, AND THEN WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, SET THE PLANE DOWN. THE WINDS WERE A BEAR! PROBABLY THE ONLY 'SYSTEMATIC' ASPECT TO THIS CONCERNS THE RWY CLOSING PROCESS. THE ARPT MGR WHO IS KNOWN TO BE BASICALLY 'GOOFY' CLOSED THE RWY FOR A REASON I THOUGHT WAS RIDICULOUS. STILL, I SHOULD HAVE JUST GONE ELSEWHERE IN RETROSPECT. I HAD ENOUGH GAS.

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.