<< >> NASA ASRS Report 365867, April 1997

Small aircraft aircraft en route to destination reporter pilot learned that winds there were too high and moderate turbulence so elected to divert. The tower was closed and he called CTAF with no advisories. The next day the WX briefer advised reporter that the airport was closed to fixed wing aircraft. Reporter took off anyway.

Attributes
ACN	365867
Time
Date	199704
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 55d
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	365867
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I was flying VFR from isq to tvc. My final destination was btl but I knew I could not go direct to my destination at btl because the winds were gusting to 50 mph. While en route to tvc I listened to the ATIS and learned that the winds at tvc were gusting to 42 mph (direction 230 degrees using runway 27) with moderate turbulence reported below 500 ft by a turboprop. I diverted to grayling as they had a runway that matched the wind direction, 230 degrees. The airport has a part-time tower which was closed. I called on tower frequency and then CTAF which is a different frequency. The winds were less intense and the landing was good. During a WX briefing the next morning the briefer advised that grayling was closed to fixed wing aircraft. The briefer did not know why. The runway was clear without any closed markings on the runway. No one was at the airport. I departed the airport on the following morning.

Related reports:

• Air carrier captain describes a severe turbulence event wher...
• DC10 blundered into turbulence at night over the pacific. Un...
• An air carrier aircraft was diverted to cos for turbulence b...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT ENRTE TO DEST RPTR PLT LEARNED THAT WINDS THERE WERE TOO HIGH AND MODERATE TURB SO ELECTED TO DIVERT. THE TWR WAS CLOSED AND HE CALLED CTAF WITH NO ADVISORIES. THE NEXT DAY THE WX BRIEFER ADVISED RPTR THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED TO FIXED WING ACFT. RPTR TOOK OFF ANYWAY.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING VFR FROM ISQ TO TVC. MY FINAL DEST WAS BTL BUT I KNEW I COULD NOT GO DIRECT TO MY DEST AT BTL BECAUSE THE WINDS WERE GUSTING TO 50 MPH. WHILE ENRTE TO TVC I LISTENED TO THE ATIS AND LEARNED THAT THE WINDS AT TVC WERE GUSTING TO 42 MPH (DIRECTION 230 DEGS USING RWY 27) WITH MODERATE TURB RPTED BELOW 500 FT BY A TURBOPROP. I DIVERTED TO GRAYLING AS THEY HAD A RWY THAT MATCHED THE WIND DIRECTION, 230 DEGS. THE ARPT HAS A PART-TIME TWR WHICH WAS CLOSED. I CALLED ON TWR FREQ AND THEN CTAF WHICH IS A DIFFERENT FREQ. THE WINDS WERE LESS INTENSE AND THE LNDG WAS GOOD. DURING A WX BRIEFING THE NEXT MORNING THE BRIEFER ADVISED THAT GRAYLING WAS CLOSED TO FIXED WING ACFT. THE BRIEFER DID NOT KNOW WHY. THE RWY WAS CLR WITHOUT ANY CLOSED MARKINGS ON THE RWY. NO ONE WAS AT THE ARPT. I DEPARTED THE ARPT ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING.

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.