Aircraft lands at a closed airport.

Attributes
ACN	277317
Time
Date	199407
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : d37
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 53 flight time total : 760 flight time type : 23
ASRS Report	277317
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My student and I were on a local training flight when this incident occurred. We finished practicing lazy eights and chandelles and needed to do some short and soft field lndgs to complete the lesson. While we were practicing the commercial maneuvers, we drifted out of our original area and into another one of our practice areas. The original practice area has the crookston airport, which we knew was open because we had the current NOTAMS for that airport. However, we drifted closer to the warren airport and elected to do our lndgs there. Warren has 2 runways, 12-30 and 4-22 (turf). A few weeks prior to this incident, runway 12-30 was closed for resurfacing. During that time, 4-22 was open. Recently, that runway was reopened and airport operations there returned to normal. As we approached warren, we noticed that 12-30 had equipment on the runway. The runway was closed and appropriately marked with 'X's on the thresholds. Runway 4- 22 was not marked so we assumed that the runway was open. My student elected to land on runway 22 and made his approach accordingly. We executed a go around due to a poor final approach. The second attempt we did a soft field takeoff and landing. On the 3RD try, my student executed another go around due to men and equipment crossing the runway. We departed the pattern and I radioed the FSS to see if they had any NOTAMS pertaining to the activity at the airport. Unfortunately, the briefer told me the airport was closed. Later, I found out that the airport was closed that very morning (the day before, it was open). Same possible contributing factors to this incident are as follows: 1) drifting out of the practice area, 2) not obtaining current NOTAMS for that airport, and relying on past information, 3) lack of airport closure markings. Possible corrective actions: 1) always stay in the assigned practice area, 2) get current information regarding the airports I operate on, 3) better runway markings. I realize that painting an 'X' on a grass strip would be inappropriate, but the runways at warren intersection and painting an 'X' on the intersection of the hard surface (12-30) and turf (4-22) would help signify airport closure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT LANDS AT A CLOSED ARPT.

Narrative: MY STUDENT AND I WERE ON A LCL TRAINING FLT WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. WE FINISHED PRACTICING LAZY EIGHTS AND CHANDELLES AND NEEDED TO DO SOME SHORT AND SOFT FIELD LNDGS TO COMPLETE THE LESSON. WHILE WE WERE PRACTICING THE COMMERCIAL MANEUVERS, WE DRIFTED OUT OF OUR ORIGINAL AREA AND INTO ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PRACTICE AREAS. THE ORIGINAL PRACTICE AREA HAS THE CROOKSTON ARPT, WHICH WE KNEW WAS OPEN BECAUSE WE HAD THE CURRENT NOTAMS FOR THAT ARPT. HOWEVER, WE DRIFTED CLOSER TO THE WARREN ARPT AND ELECTED TO DO OUR LNDGS THERE. WARREN HAS 2 RWYS, 12-30 AND 4-22 (TURF). A FEW WKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, RWY 12-30 WAS CLOSED FOR RESURFACING. DURING THAT TIME, 4-22 WAS OPEN. RECENTLY, THAT RWY WAS REOPENED AND ARPT OPS THERE RETURNED TO NORMAL. AS WE APCHED WARREN, WE NOTICED THAT 12-30 HAD EQUIP ON THE RWY. THE RWY WAS CLOSED AND APPROPRIATELY MARKED WITH 'X'S ON THE THRESHOLDS. RWY 4- 22 WAS NOT MARKED SO WE ASSUMED THAT THE RWY WAS OPEN. MY STUDENT ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 22 AND MADE HIS APCH ACCORDINGLY. WE EXECUTED A GAR DUE TO A POOR FINAL APCH. THE SECOND ATTEMPT WE DID A SOFT FIELD TKOF AND LNDG. ON THE 3RD TRY, MY STUDENT EXECUTED ANOTHER GAR DUE TO MEN AND EQUIP XING THE RWY. WE DEPARTED THE PATTERN AND I RADIOED THE FSS TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY NOTAMS PERTAINING TO THE ACTIVITY AT THE ARPT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE BRIEFER TOLD ME THE ARPT WAS CLOSED. LATER, I FOUND OUT THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED THAT VERY MORNING (THE DAY BEFORE, IT WAS OPEN). SAME POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) DRIFTING OUT OF THE PRACTICE AREA, 2) NOT OBTAINING CURRENT NOTAMS FOR THAT ARPT, AND RELYING ON PAST INFO, 3) LACK OF ARPT CLOSURE MARKINGS. POSSIBLE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) ALWAYS STAY IN THE ASSIGNED PRACTICE AREA, 2) GET CURRENT INFO REGARDING THE ARPTS I OPERATE ON, 3) BETTER RWY MARKINGS. I REALIZE THAT PAINTING AN 'X' ON A GRASS STRIP WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE, BUT THE RWYS AT WARREN INTXN AND PAINTING AN 'X' ON THE INTXN OF THE HARD SURFACE (12-30) AND TURF (4-22) WOULD HELP SIGNIFY ARPT CLOSURE.

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.