Narrative:

The captain checked the WX and NOTAMS on the company's computer WX equipment prior to departure. No mention was made on the printout of runway 14 being closed under NOTAMS listed for the area. Subsequent to this event it was discovered that there are several ways to request NOTAMS from the computer. Some methods apparently do not give complete information. Our company does not specify how a pilot should request WX and NOTAMS from the computer, maybe it should. The captain (PNF) checked the AWOS about 20 mins from arrival. There was no mention of runway 14 closure. Also at about this time, the captain made numerous attempts to contact our company at imperial to let them know we were inbound and to check WX against the AWOS (winds, temperature, etc). No information was ever passed to us, as he was unable to raise company on the frequency. We are now only a few mi from the airport, and 3 possible sources of notification that runway 14 was closed had not succeeded in alerting us to that fact. Of course the winds were favoring runway 14 (160 degrees 10 KTS approximately) and we were planning our approach to runway 14. By this time we had reported the airport in sight, and had cancelled IFR with ZLA. We arrived in the airport vicinity slightly high and to the nnw of the field. The captain suggested a left 270 degree turn to enter on a left base for runway 14 and that we did. (No other aircraft were reporting in the area as we were broadcasting our position.) in retrospect, a 45 degree entry to the left downwind may have afforded the captain a better view of the intended runway, alerting us to its closure. The base leg and final approach went as planned. It wasn't until extremely short final that either of us noticed that runway was closed. The approach and landing continued, as it seemed a greater risk to go around so very close to touchdown. Landing itself was uneventful. Other possible factors include: captain on reduced rest, overnight. Moment of disbelief, not knowing ahead of time (above statement). A clear and unobstructed runway is not what one expects to be in front of him, if it is closed. Supplemental information from acn 314786: causal factors: I was on temperature duty in southern california. My first officer was new to the company with this being his first day after IOE. Imperial company personnel did not respond to reported inquires for 'airport conditions.' since over 15 min prior to touchdown my inquiries were met with 'standby.' no tower on field. Yellow 'X' on runway not apparent on a 3 degree GS. Overhead entry not advisable at imperial due to proximity to military airport flight paths. After landing I talked to airport personnel to insure that there were no problems caused by the landing. I was assured that there was not.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT LANDS ON CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: THE CAPT CHKED THE WX AND NOTAMS ON THE COMPANY'S COMPUTER WX EQUIP PRIOR TO DEP. NO MENTION WAS MADE ON THE PRINTOUT OF RWY 14 BEING CLOSED UNDER NOTAMS LISTED FOR THE AREA. SUBSEQUENT TO THIS EVENT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO REQUEST NOTAMS FROM THE COMPUTER. SOME METHODS APPARENTLY DO NOT GIVE COMPLETE INFORMATION. OUR COMPANY DOES NOT SPECIFY HOW A PLT SHOULD REQUEST WX AND NOTAMS FROM THE COMPUTER, MAYBE IT SHOULD. THE CAPT (PNF) CHKED THE AWOS ABOUT 20 MINS FROM ARR. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF RWY 14 CLOSURE. ALSO AT ABOUT THIS TIME, THE CAPT MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT OUR COMPANY AT IMPERIAL TO LET THEM KNOW WE WERE INBOUND AND TO CHK WX AGAINST THE AWOS (WINDS, TEMP, ETC). NO INFO WAS EVER PASSED TO US, AS HE WAS UNABLE TO RAISE COMPANY ON THE FREQ. WE ARE NOW ONLY A FEW MI FROM THE ARPT, AND 3 POSSIBLE SOURCES OF NOTIFICATION THAT RWY 14 WAS CLOSED HAD NOT SUCCEEDED IN ALERTING US TO THAT FACT. OF COURSE THE WINDS WERE FAVORING RWY 14 (160 DEGS 10 KTS APPROX) AND WE WERE PLANNING OUR APCH TO RWY 14. BY THIS TIME WE HAD RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT, AND HAD CANCELLED IFR WITH ZLA. WE ARRIVED IN THE ARPT VICINITY SLIGHTLY HIGH AND TO THE NNW OF THE FIELD. THE CAPT SUGGESTED A L 270 DEG TURN TO ENTER ON A L BASE FOR RWY 14 AND THAT WE DID. (NO OTHER ACFT WERE RPTING IN THE AREA AS WE WERE BROADCASTING OUR POS.) IN RETROSPECT, A 45 DEG ENTRY TO THE L DOWNWIND MAY HAVE AFFORDED THE CAPT A BETTER VIEW OF THE INTENDED RWY, ALERTING US TO ITS CLOSURE. THE BASE LEG AND FINAL APCH WENT AS PLANNED. IT WASN'T UNTIL EXTREMELY SHORT FINAL THAT EITHER OF US NOTICED THAT RWY WAS CLOSED. THE APCH AND LNDG CONTINUED, AS IT SEEMED A GREATER RISK TO GAR SO VERY CLOSE TO TOUCHDOWN. LNDG ITSELF WAS UNEVENTFUL. OTHER POSSIBLE FACTORS INCLUDE: CAPT ON REDUCED REST, OVERNIGHT. MOMENT OF DISBELIEF, NOT KNOWING AHEAD OF TIME (ABOVE STATEMENT). A CLR AND UNOBSTRUCTED RWY IS NOT WHAT ONE EXPECTS TO BE IN FRONT OF HIM, IF IT IS CLOSED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 314786: CAUSAL FACTORS: I WAS ON TEMP DUTY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. MY FO WAS NEW TO THE COMPANY WITH THIS BEING HIS FIRST DAY AFTER IOE. IMPERIAL COMPANY PERSONNEL DID NOT RESPOND TO RPTED INQUIRES FOR 'ARPT CONDITIONS.' SINCE OVER 15 MIN PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN MY INQUIRIES WERE MET WITH 'STANDBY.' NO TWR ON FIELD. YELLOW 'X' ON RWY NOT APPARENT ON A 3 DEG GS. OVERHEAD ENTRY NOT ADVISABLE AT IMPERIAL DUE TO PROX TO MIL ARPT FLT PATHS. AFTER LNDG I TALKED TO ARPT PERSONNEL TO INSURE THAT THERE WERE NO PROBS CAUSED BY THE LNDG. I WAS ASSURED THAT THERE WAS NOT.

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.