Narrative:

I obtained a WX briefing by phone from mmv AFSS early in the morning for a flight from medford, or, (mfr) on a direct route to bremerton national (pwt) mfr, eug, ubg, olm, pwt. The briefer reported NOTAMS but did not mention hillsboro, oregon (hio). Just prior to departure from mfr in the early afternoon I received a second briefing by telephone from mmv AFSS with update on WX conditions which were then VFR: asked for and was told there were no additional NOTAMS and none were mentioned regarding hio. Departed mfr approximately XA3OZ VFR on direct route to pwt via eug, sle, ubg, olm, pwt, at 8500 ft, with VFR radar service. Near ubg ZSE handed me off to portland approach control. Northwest of ubg, I heard pdx approach control tell another aircraft that hio was closed. I tuned hio ATIS, which reported 'hillsboro airport closed (with times) from surface to 17500.' although no mention was made of 'class D' airspace, and the 'closure' of an airport up to 17500 was a phrase I had not heard before, I established a map reading fix approximately 9 NM wsw of hio and clearly outside the lateral boundary of hio class D airspace (the fix was between the west side of the city of forest grove and henry hagg lake. The WX was clear with excellent visibility. Moments later pdx approach control directed a turn to the west 'to avoid hio,' after only a few seconds, pdx approach control directed a turn to the north to resume my own navigation, at which point we were north of henry hagg lake. The controller made no other comment. I am certain we did not enter the airspace over hio class D airspace at any time. I believe a NOTAM for closure of the airport should have been issued. If one was issued, for some reason mmv AFSS did not advise of it in either of my 2 briefings. Even as a NOTAM left it should have been available from mmv AFSS. Also, I was confused by the wording of the ATIS broadcast at hio. I do not understand how an airport can be 'closed up to 17500 ft,' is the closure only above the airport surface? Hio class D airspace goes to 2700 ft, and I do not understand how class D airspace can be 'closed up to 17500 ft.' clearly, the airspace above the class D can be restr, but I think it would be much clrer to advise air traffic that the class D and all airspace above it to 17500 ft is restr. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: hio facility manager was called for reason of airport closure and if NOTAM had been issued. He stated a NOTAM had been issued and the reason for restr airspace to 17000 ft was for an airshow.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FSS FAILED TO BRIEF PLT ABOUT NOTAM.

Narrative: I OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING BY PHONE FROM MMV AFSS EARLY IN THE MORNING FOR A FLT FROM MEDFORD, OR, (MFR) ON A DIRECT RTE TO BREMERTON NATIONAL (PWT) MFR, EUG, UBG, OLM, PWT. THE BRIEFER RPTED NOTAMS BUT DID NOT MENTION HILLSBORO, OREGON (HIO). JUST PRIOR TO DEP FROM MFR IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON I RECEIVED A SECOND BRIEFING BY TELEPHONE FROM MMV AFSS WITH UPDATE ON WX CONDITIONS WHICH WERE THEN VFR: ASKED FOR AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL NOTAMS AND NONE WERE MENTIONED REGARDING HIO. DEPARTED MFR APPROX XA3OZ VFR ON DIRECT RTE TO PWT VIA EUG, SLE, UBG, OLM, PWT, AT 8500 FT, WITH VFR RADAR SVC. NEAR UBG ZSE HANDED ME OFF TO PORTLAND APCH CTL. NW OF UBG, I HEARD PDX APCH CTL TELL ANOTHER ACFT THAT HIO WAS CLOSED. I TUNED HIO ATIS, WHICH RPTED 'HILLSBORO ARPT CLOSED (WITH TIMES) FROM SURFACE TO 17500.' ALTHOUGH NO MENTION WAS MADE OF 'CLASS D' AIRSPACE, AND THE 'CLOSURE' OF AN ARPT UP TO 17500 WAS A PHRASE I HAD NOT HEARD BEFORE, I ESTABLISHED A MAP READING FIX APPROX 9 NM WSW OF HIO AND CLRLY OUTSIDE THE LATERAL BOUNDARY OF HIO CLASS D AIRSPACE (THE FIX WAS BTWN THE W SIDE OF THE CITY OF FOREST GROVE AND HENRY HAGG LAKE. THE WX WAS CLR WITH EXCELLENT VISIBILITY. MOMENTS LATER PDX APCH CTL DIRECTED A TURN TO THE W 'TO AVOID HIO,' AFTER ONLY A FEW SECONDS, PDX APCH CTL DIRECTED A TURN TO THE N TO RESUME MY OWN NAV, AT WHICH POINT WE WERE N OF HENRY HAGG LAKE. THE CTLR MADE NO OTHER COMMENT. I AM CERTAIN WE DID NOT ENTER THE AIRSPACE OVER HIO CLASS D AIRSPACE AT ANY TIME. I BELIEVE A NOTAM FOR CLOSURE OF THE ARPT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED. IF ONE WAS ISSUED, FOR SOME REASON MMV AFSS DID NOT ADVISE OF IT IN EITHER OF MY 2 BRIEFINGS. EVEN AS A NOTAM L IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FROM MMV AFSS. ALSO, I WAS CONFUSED BY THE WORDING OF THE ATIS BROADCAST AT HIO. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW AN ARPT CAN BE 'CLOSED UP TO 17500 FT,' IS THE CLOSURE ONLY ABOVE THE ARPT SURFACE? HIO CLASS D AIRSPACE GOES TO 2700 FT, AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW CLASS D AIRSPACE CAN BE 'CLOSED UP TO 17500 FT.' CLRLY, THE AIRSPACE ABOVE THE CLASS D CAN BE RESTR, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH CLRER TO ADVISE AIR TFC THAT THE CLASS D AND ALL AIRSPACE ABOVE IT TO 17500 FT IS RESTR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: HIO FACILITY MGR WAS CALLED FOR REASON OF ARPT CLOSURE AND IF NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED. HE STATED A NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED AND THE REASON FOR RESTR AIRSPACE TO 17000 FT WAS FOR AN AIRSHOW.

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.