PA18 super cub pilot lands his aircraft on a closed ski strip runway at fai, ak. Pilot refused to ta...

Attributes
ACN	381610
Time
Date	199709
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fai
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fai
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-18/19 Super Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	381610
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On the second trip to fai from a camp south of airport, I requested that I be allowed to land on closed gravel ski strip (was flying supercub with a heavy load of cargo on 30 inch tundra tires with a wind reported as 8-10 KTS at 060- 090 degrees). I had, on the previous trip into town approximately 2 hours earlier, been granted permission to land on that strip (ski strip 010 degrees). After being handed over to tower from approach (stage ii radar) and having approach relay my request to tower to land at/on ski 010 degrees at my own risk (notamed closed with men and equipment working), I was informed by tower that the runway was closed and had equipment working on it. I asked to use the portion of the strip that the equipment was not on and stated that I only needed a couple hundred ft to land. (They were wetting and grading the dirt/gravel surface and also rolling so 3 pieces of equipment working). I was told by the tower that the equipment was on both ends and was working towards the middle. I stated I would look the situation over when I got closer on final and would land if the equipment was in the middle (strip is 3980 ft X 75 ft. My normal landing distance at full gross weight is 300 ft). I was then informed by tower to contact FSDO after landing. The tower had requested the equipment to exit the runway without telling me and when I was on 1 mi final, I stated that I didn't see any equipment on the runway and landed. In the past, tower and field maintenance had accommodated us oversized tundra-tired aircraft or ski equipped and usually moved when requested, allowing us to land on the only place available. Why the tower refused to work with me on this day is unknown. Field maintenance stated they would, in the future, allow us to call in 10 mins ahead of landing and they would move and report conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA18 SUPER CUB PLT LANDS HIS ACFT ON A CLOSED SKI STRIP RWY AT FAI, AK. PLT REFUSED TO TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER FROM THE TWR, THAT THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION EQUIP ON THE RWY. A NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED. TWR CTLR SIMPLY GOT TIRED OF THE DISCUSSION, ASKED PLT TO CALL FSDO AFTER LNDG AND PULLED EQUIP OFF THE RWY.

Narrative: ON THE SECOND TRIP TO FAI FROM A CAMP S OF ARPT, I REQUESTED THAT I BE ALLOWED TO LAND ON CLOSED GRAVEL SKI STRIP (WAS FLYING SUPERCUB WITH A HVY LOAD OF CARGO ON 30 INCH TUNDRA TIRES WITH A WIND RPTED AS 8-10 KTS AT 060- 090 DEGS). I HAD, ON THE PREVIOUS TRIP INTO TOWN APPROX 2 HRS EARLIER, BEEN GRANTED PERMISSION TO LAND ON THAT STRIP (SKI STRIP 010 DEGS). AFTER BEING HANDED OVER TO TWR FROM APCH (STAGE II RADAR) AND HAVING APCH RELAY MY REQUEST TO TWR TO LAND AT/ON SKI 010 DEGS AT MY OWN RISK (NOTAMED CLOSED WITH MEN AND EQUIP WORKING), I WAS INFORMED BY TWR THAT THE RWY WAS CLOSED AND HAD EQUIP WORKING ON IT. I ASKED TO USE THE PORTION OF THE STRIP THAT THE EQUIP WAS NOT ON AND STATED THAT I ONLY NEEDED A COUPLE HUNDRED FT TO LAND. (THEY WERE WETTING AND GRADING THE DIRT/GRAVEL SURFACE AND ALSO ROLLING SO 3 PIECES OF EQUIP WORKING). I WAS TOLD BY THE TWR THAT THE EQUIP WAS ON BOTH ENDS AND WAS WORKING TOWARDS THE MIDDLE. I STATED I WOULD LOOK THE SIT OVER WHEN I GOT CLOSER ON FINAL AND WOULD LAND IF THE EQUIP WAS IN THE MIDDLE (STRIP IS 3980 FT X 75 FT. MY NORMAL LNDG DISTANCE AT FULL GROSS WT IS 300 FT). I WAS THEN INFORMED BY TWR TO CONTACT FSDO AFTER LNDG. THE TWR HAD REQUESTED THE EQUIP TO EXIT THE RWY WITHOUT TELLING ME AND WHEN I WAS ON 1 MI FINAL, I STATED THAT I DIDN'T SEE ANY EQUIP ON THE RWY AND LANDED. IN THE PAST, TWR AND FIELD MAINT HAD ACCOMMODATED US OVERSIZED TUNDRA-TIRED ACFT OR SKI EQUIPPED AND USUALLY MOVED WHEN REQUESTED, ALLOWING US TO LAND ON THE ONLY PLACE AVAILABLE. WHY THE TWR REFUSED TO WORK WITH ME ON THIS DAY IS UNKNOWN. FIELD MAINT STATED THEY WOULD, IN THE FUTURE, ALLOW US TO CALL IN 10 MINS AHEAD OF LNDG AND THEY WOULD MOVE AND RPT CONDITIONS.

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.