Narrative:

On jan/wed/96 I made a call to the FSS to receive an outlook WX briefing and to check the NOTAM information. The WX was forecast to be clear and there were no NOTAMS for the destination. The following day I checked the NOTAMS again and found the destination airport was notamed as closed due to snow. In response to this I decided to call the airport FBO in order to determine exactly why the airport was closed or if it had been a mistake. The FBO operator stated that the runway had been cleared, there was a grader on the ramp but it should not cause any problems, the WX was terrific and that they would be ready and waiting for me to come on in. 10 mi out from the airport I called the unicom frequency and they stated that everything was great and they were ready and waiting. I circled the runway to make sure that the runway was indeed clear of snow. Entering on the downwind, I made a normal approach and landing to runway 36. I didn't have any problems until I got inside the FBO and encountered an enraged airport manager. She made quite a scene stating that the airport was closed and that it was extremely dangerous for me to land at the field. However, when it came time for me to leave, she had no problems with me taking off. I am convinced that the landing was made at an airport that I confirmed was safe and was executed in a very conscientious manner. The airport manager has made several calls to certain FAA officials regarding the said legality of my operations. I am very concerned about the inconsistency which the airport was closed via the NOTAM system, the FBO workers, and the airport manager. I firmly believe that my actions on this day were completely in the interest of safety and that I followed the recommended procedures. The real problem seems to lie within the system itself and in the way that its facilitators understand and enforce it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMT TURBOPROP LANDED ON A NOTAM CLOSED ARPT.

Narrative: ON JAN/WED/96 I MADE A CALL TO THE FSS TO RECEIVE AN OUTLOOK WX BRIEFING AND TO CHK THE NOTAM INFO. THE WX WAS FORECAST TO BE CLR AND THERE WERE NO NOTAMS FOR THE DEST. THE FOLLOWING DAY I CHKED THE NOTAMS AGAIN AND FOUND THE DEST ARPT WAS NOTAMED AS CLOSED DUE TO SNOW. IN RESPONSE TO THIS I DECIDED TO CALL THE ARPT FBO IN ORDER TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHY THE ARPT WAS CLOSED OR IF IT HAD BEEN A MISTAKE. THE FBO OPERATOR STATED THAT THE RWY HAD BEEN CLRED, THERE WAS A GRADER ON THE RAMP BUT IT SHOULD NOT CAUSE ANY PROBS, THE WX WAS TERRIFIC AND THAT THEY WOULD BE READY AND WAITING FOR ME TO COME ON IN. 10 MI OUT FROM THE ARPT I CALLED THE UNICOM FREQ AND THEY STATED THAT EVERYTHING WAS GREAT AND THEY WERE READY AND WAITING. I CIRCLED THE RWY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RWY WAS INDEED CLR OF SNOW. ENTERING ON THE DOWNWIND, I MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG TO RWY 36. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBS UNTIL I GOT INSIDE THE FBO AND ENCOUNTERED AN ENRAGED ARPT MGR. SHE MADE QUITE A SCENE STATING THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED AND THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR ME TO LAND AT THE FIELD. HOWEVER, WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR ME TO LEAVE, SHE HAD NO PROBS WITH ME TAKING OFF. I AM CONVINCED THAT THE LNDG WAS MADE AT AN ARPT THAT I CONFIRMED WAS SAFE AND WAS EXECUTED IN A VERY CONSCIENTIOUS MANNER. THE ARPT MGR HAS MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO CERTAIN FAA OFFICIALS REGARDING THE SAID LEGALITY OF MY OPS. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE INCONSISTENCY WHICH THE ARPT WAS CLOSED VIA THE NOTAM SYS, THE FBO WORKERS, AND THE ARPT MGR. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT MY ACTIONS ON THIS DAY WERE COMPLETELY IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY AND THAT I FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDED PROCS. THE REAL PROB SEEMS TO LIE WITHIN THE SYS ITSELF AND IN THE WAY THAT ITS FACILITATORS UNDERSTAND AND ENFORCE IT.

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.