Narrative:

Called flight service around XA00 pm local time to get WX and advisories for IFR flight to ithaca, ny, from glen falls, ny. WX was clear -- IFR all the way -- high pressure was in place along entire route of flight. Told flight service I would depart at XD00 pm local and arrive ithaca airport about XE00 pm. 'No NOTAMS were in place.' called burlington FSS at XD00 pm received IFR clearance to ithaca, ny. Departed at XD00 pm. Along route of flight I contacted albany departure, griffis-syracuse and last elmira. About 8 mi from ithaca airport in great VFR conditions elmira asked if I had the airport in sight. I said no. There was a long pause and than the elmira controller told me ithaca airport was closed. It closed 5 mins ago. I asked why was that not told to me (via a NOTAM) on along my route of flight. He said he did not know! He asked what I wanted to do. I said land at ithaca. He said he would have to call the airport manager to get equipment off the runway. He said do you want to hold over the ithaca VOR. I said no because he could not guarantee the airport manager could be reached to have the equipment moved. He asked how much fuel I had. I said approximately 40 mins. I had about 1.3 hours minimum, but I did not want to use it up holding. I had people waiting for me at ithaca. I ended up landing at cortland -- 15 mi away about 5 mins flying time. Cortland airport was closed for the night. No phone -- no services. I used a phone down the road after walking 1/2 mi. I am upset -- the ithaca airport was not 'NOTAM' of its intended closing at approximately XD00 pm that night. I heard an airplane take off on tower frequency 5 mins before arrival. They should have known I was coming on an IFR flight plan. No alternate was required as WX was forecast as severe clear.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182RG ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO ITH CHKED WX WITH FSS AND TALKED TO ATC ALL THE WAY. WHEN 5 MI FROM DEST, HE IS ADVISED THAT THE ARPT HAD CLOSED 5 MINS AGO.

Narrative: CALLED FLT SVC AROUND XA00 PM LCL TIME TO GET WX AND ADVISORIES FOR IFR FLT TO ITHACA, NY, FROM GLEN FALLS, NY. WX WAS CLR -- IFR ALL THE WAY -- HIGH PRESSURE WAS IN PLACE ALONG ENTIRE RTE OF FLT. TOLD FLT SVC I WOULD DEPART AT XD00 PM LCL AND ARRIVE ITHACA ARPT ABOUT XE00 PM. 'NO NOTAMS WERE IN PLACE.' CALLED BURLINGTON FSS AT XD00 PM RECEIVED IFR CLRNC TO ITHACA, NY. DEPARTED AT XD00 PM. ALONG RTE OF FLT I CONTACTED ALBANY DEP, GRIFFIS-SYRACUSE AND LAST ELMIRA. ABOUT 8 MI FROM ITHACA ARPT IN GREAT VFR CONDITIONS ELMIRA ASKED IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I SAID NO. THERE WAS A LONG PAUSE AND THAN THE ELMIRA CTLR TOLD ME ITHACA ARPT WAS CLOSED. IT CLOSED 5 MINS AGO. I ASKED WHY WAS THAT NOT TOLD TO ME (VIA A NOTAM) ON ALONG MY RTE OF FLT. HE SAID HE DID NOT KNOW! HE ASKED WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I SAID LAND AT ITHACA. HE SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE ARPT MGR TO GET EQUIP OFF THE RWY. HE SAID DO YOU WANT TO HOLD OVER THE ITHACA VOR. I SAID NO BECAUSE HE COULD NOT GUARANTEE THE ARPT MGR COULD BE REACHED TO HAVE THE EQUIP MOVED. HE ASKED HOW MUCH FUEL I HAD. I SAID APPROX 40 MINS. I HAD ABOUT 1.3 HRS MINIMUM, BUT I DID NOT WANT TO USE IT UP HOLDING. I HAD PEOPLE WAITING FOR ME AT ITHACA. I ENDED UP LNDG AT CORTLAND -- 15 MI AWAY ABOUT 5 MINS FLYING TIME. CORTLAND ARPT WAS CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT. NO PHONE -- NO SVCS. I USED A PHONE DOWN THE ROAD AFTER WALKING 1/2 MI. I AM UPSET -- THE ITHACA ARPT WAS NOT 'NOTAM' OF ITS INTENDED CLOSING AT APPROX XD00 PM THAT NIGHT. I HEARD AN AIRPLANE TAKE OFF ON TWR FREQ 5 MINS BEFORE ARR. THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN I WAS COMING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. NO ALTERNATE WAS REQUIRED AS WX WAS FORECAST AS SEVERE CLR.

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.