Narrative:

Was dispatched to M15 on a cargo charter flight. Before the flight I received a WX briefing. I did not ask for NOTAMS and none were volunteered. 20 mi out, I called flight service on the radio to ask for a frequency to turn on the lights at M15. Flight service advised that M15 was closed for night operations. At the same time, I flew over M15 and saw that the runway lights were on a lighted wind tee, and a 2 light PAPI. Without further thought, I proceeded and landed. I landed because I was focused on getting the runway lights on. I was dispatched to this airport by my company and it never occurred to me that there might have been another reason that this airport was closed. It turned out to be safe and another airplane, based at M15, landed 5 mins after I did. I asked the pilot of this airplane about the NOTAM and he said he never heard about it. A very dangerous situation could have arisen if the airport was really closed due to some kind of hazard, invisible at night. The airport closure is definitely a D NOTAM. Secondly, after receiving the NOTAM, I overflew the airport and all of the lights were on. Thirdly, I was a new hire pilot and eager to please my company. Incident could have been avoided if I had requested, or was offered, NOTAMS before taking off and/or the runway lights had been turned off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PART 135 CARGO CHARTER PLT CONTINUED WITH A NIGHTTIME OP AFTER HE HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT THE DEST ARPT WAS CLOSED TO NIGHT OPS INDEFINITELY.

Narrative: WAS DISPATCHED TO M15 ON A CARGO CHARTER FLT. BEFORE THE FLT I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING. I DID NOT ASK FOR NOTAMS AND NONE WERE VOLUNTEERED. 20 MI OUT, I CALLED FLT SVC ON THE RADIO TO ASK FOR A FREQ TO TURN ON THE LIGHTS AT M15. FLT SVC ADVISED THAT M15 WAS CLOSED FOR NIGHT OPS. AT THE SAME TIME, I FLEW OVER M15 AND SAW THAT THE RWY LIGHTS WERE ON A LIGHTED WIND TEE, AND A 2 LIGHT PAPI. WITHOUT FURTHER THOUGHT, I PROCEEDED AND LANDED. I LANDED BECAUSE I WAS FOCUSED ON GETTING THE RWY LIGHTS ON. I WAS DISPATCHED TO THIS ARPT BY MY COMPANY AND IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ANOTHER REASON THAT THIS ARPT WAS CLOSED. IT TURNED OUT TO BE SAFE AND ANOTHER AIRPLANE, BASED AT M15, LANDED 5 MINS AFTER I DID. I ASKED THE PLT OF THIS AIRPLANE ABOUT THE NOTAM AND HE SAID HE NEVER HEARD ABOUT IT. A VERY DANGEROUS SIT COULD HAVE ARISEN IF THE ARPT WAS REALLY CLOSED DUE TO SOME KIND OF HAZARD, INVISIBLE AT NIGHT. THE ARPT CLOSURE IS DEFINITELY A D NOTAM. SECONDLY, AFTER RECEIVING THE NOTAM, I OVERFLEW THE ARPT AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS WERE ON. THIRDLY, I WAS A NEW HIRE PLT AND EAGER TO PLEASE MY COMPANY. INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD REQUESTED, OR WAS OFFERED, NOTAMS BEFORE TAKING OFF AND/OR THE RWY LIGHTS HAD BEEN TURNED OFF.

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.