Narrative:

After waiting for a line of heavy WX to pass through, I departed st louis international (stl) approximately XX00Z on an IFR flight plan for fine memorial (aiz). The trip took approximately 35 mins under ZKC control. Upon reaching the airport, we found it closed due to the lights were not working. I am aware that the FAA places the responsibility on the pilot for checking on this information from all sources. When I filed my flight plan, I asked for NOTAMS and specified lighting. There were none. With that information and my approach plate to fine memorial which stated that I had pilot controled lighting, I was on my way. The next day: I found that the closing of this airport, due to nonfunctional lighting from sunset to sunrise was not listed in the national NOTAMS. It was listed in what they call local NOTAMS. I was informed that I should have contacted the local FSS upon reaching the airport, for this information. It was also listed in the airport facilities directory, which I should have called for before I left st louis international. Conclusion: with no information from FSS on this airport because it was not listed in the national NOTAMS, with the runway lights being an integrated part of the instrument landing system and listed on the approach plat as pilot controled, with the controller vectoring me with radar for an approach to a closed airport, I feel that this is a rather unsafe situation. What if: an airplane at night is diverted to this airport because of an emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT FINDS NO LIGHTING AT DEST ARPT AFTER REQUESTING NOTAMS FROM FSS.

Narrative: AFTER WAITING FOR A LINE OF HVY WX TO PASS THROUGH, I DEPARTED ST LOUIS INTL (STL) APPROX XX00Z ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FOR FINE MEMORIAL (AIZ). THE TRIP TOOK APPROX 35 MINS UNDER ZKC CTL. UPON REACHING THE ARPT, WE FOUND IT CLOSED DUE TO THE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I AM AWARE THAT THE FAA PLACES THE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE PLT FOR CHKING ON THIS INFO FROM ALL SOURCES. WHEN I FILED MY FLT PLAN, I ASKED FOR NOTAMS AND SPECIFIED LIGHTING. THERE WERE NONE. WITH THAT INFO AND MY APCH PLATE TO FINE MEMORIAL WHICH STATED THAT I HAD PLT CTLED LIGHTING, I WAS ON MY WAY. THE NEXT DAY: I FOUND THAT THE CLOSING OF THIS ARPT, DUE TO NONFUNCTIONAL LIGHTING FROM SUNSET TO SUNRISE WAS NOT LISTED IN THE NATIONAL NOTAMS. IT WAS LISTED IN WHAT THEY CALL LCL NOTAMS. I WAS INFORMED THAT I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED THE LCL FSS UPON REACHING THE ARPT, FOR THIS INFO. IT WAS ALSO LISTED IN THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY, WHICH I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FOR BEFORE I LEFT ST LOUIS INTL. CONCLUSION: WITH NO INFO FROM FSS ON THIS ARPT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT LISTED IN THE NATIONAL NOTAMS, WITH THE RWY LIGHTS BEING AN INTEGRATED PART OF THE INST LNDG SYS AND LISTED ON THE APCH PLAT AS PLT CTLED, WITH THE CTLR VECTORING ME WITH RADAR FOR AN APCH TO A CLOSED ARPT, I FEEL THAT THIS IS A RATHER UNSAFE SIT. WHAT IF: AN AIRPLANE AT NIGHT IS DIVERTED TO THIS ARPT BECAUSE OF AN EMERGENCY.

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.