Closed runway -- pilot lands on a closed runway because of 'X's' only covered one half of the runway...

Attributes
ACN	309708
Time
Date	199507
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sbd
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 52 flight time total : 4252 flight time type : 733
ASRS Report	309708
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was an 'angel flight' to transport an ill 9 yr old and mother from sbd to santa maria (smx). Patient's mother confirmed that she'd be at sbd tower. Pilot flew from smo to sbd. Upon approaching airport, learned that runway would be closed until following day. A low pass over runway showed only 5000 ft 'X'ed' out with first 5000 ft clear of X's, men or equipment. Repeated calls on unicom (122.9) received no reply. Pilot decided to land on runway 6 (no X's) and did so with no difficulty. Passenger were picked up and pilot quickly departed to smx, without a problem. AWOS frequency was not on chart and NOTAMS received on prior evening did not indicate field closing, AWOS message was apparently changed on am of closing field, with no prior published notice. Unfortunately there was no way to reach mother and patient sitting at the base of the tower or we would have diverted flight to rialto. Had entire runway shown X's, pilot would not have landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSED RWY -- PLT LANDS ON A CLOSED RWY BECAUSE OF 'X'S' ONLY COVERED ONE HALF OF THE RWY.

Narrative: FLT WAS AN 'ANGEL FLT' TO TRANSPORT AN ILL 9 YR OLD AND MOTHER FROM SBD TO SANTA MARIA (SMX). PATIENT'S MOTHER CONFIRMED THAT SHE'D BE AT SBD TWR. PLT FLEW FROM SMO TO SBD. UPON APCHING ARPT, LEARNED THAT RWY WOULD BE CLOSED UNTIL FOLLOWING DAY. A LOW PASS OVER RWY SHOWED ONLY 5000 FT 'X'ED' OUT WITH FIRST 5000 FT CLR OF X'S, MEN OR EQUIP. REPEATED CALLS ON UNICOM (122.9) RECEIVED NO REPLY. PLT DECIDED TO LAND ON RWY 6 (NO X'S) AND DID SO WITH NO DIFFICULTY. PAX WERE PICKED UP AND PLT QUICKLY DEPARTED TO SMX, WITHOUT A PROB. AWOS FREQ WAS NOT ON CHART AND NOTAMS RECEIVED ON PRIOR EVENING DID NOT INDICATE FIELD CLOSING, AWOS MESSAGE WAS APPARENTLY CHANGED ON AM OF CLOSING FIELD, WITH NO PRIOR PUBLISHED NOTICE. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO WAY TO REACH MOTHER AND PATIENT SITTING AT THE BASE OF THE TWR OR WE WOULD HAVE DIVERTED FLT TO RIALTO. HAD ENTIRE RWY SHOWN X'S, PLT WOULD NOT HAVE LANDED.

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.