Narrative:

Runway 26R/8L at brown field was notamed closed due to construction on the runway. Runway 26L/8R, an unlit runway, was open during the day. All runways and txwys were notamed closed from sunset to sunrise. I assumed that runway 26L/8R was closed after sunset since it was unlit so I asked brown tower earlier in the day when I landed on my way to mexico if I could use runway 26L/8R within the 30 mins after sunset since after 30 mins is the time when night flight begins. The tower responded that they could not issue clrncs for landing or taking off after official sunset off but that I could use the runway at my own risk. I asked for official sunset and was told XA53. On my return from mexico, I called brown tower at XA55 after a handoff from tijuana tower and the controller informed me that the airport was closed and asked me to state my intentions. I informed the controller that I was under the impression that I could use runway 26L/8R at my own risk. The controller did not respond immediately but came back on the radio after a short while as if he had conferred with other controllers in the tower and said 'proceed at your own risk.' I announced my intentions in the blind on the CTAF, landed, cleared customs and departed at XB06. On all phases of the landing, taxiing and takeoff, I had excellent visibility and did not believe that I was acting in an unsafe manner. After reaching my destination, I conferred with some friends about what had transpired and they believed that I was not legally allowed to land since the airport was notamed closed. I can see their point so I have filed this report in hopes that pilots could be better educated as to how to proceed in this type of situation.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A BEECH 36 LANDED AT A TWR CTLED ARPT AT OWN RISK DUE TO THE RWY BEING OFFICIALLY CLOSED AFTER SUNSET.

Narrative: RWY 26R/8L AT BROWN FIELD WAS NOTAMED CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION ON THE RWY. RWY 26L/8R, AN UNLIT RWY, WAS OPEN DURING THE DAY. ALL RWYS AND TXWYS WERE NOTAMED CLOSED FROM SUNSET TO SUNRISE. I ASSUMED THAT RWY 26L/8R WAS CLOSED AFTER SUNSET SINCE IT WAS UNLIT SO I ASKED BROWN TWR EARLIER IN THE DAY WHEN I LANDED ON MY WAY TO MEXICO IF I COULD USE RWY 26L/8R WITHIN THE 30 MINS AFTER SUNSET SINCE AFTER 30 MINS IS THE TIME WHEN NIGHT FLT BEGINS. THE TWR RESPONDED THAT THEY COULD NOT ISSUE CLRNCS FOR LNDG OR TAKING OFF AFTER OFFICIAL SUNSET OFF BUT THAT I COULD USE THE RWY AT MY OWN RISK. I ASKED FOR OFFICIAL SUNSET AND WAS TOLD XA53. ON MY RETURN FROM MEXICO, I CALLED BROWN TWR AT XA55 AFTER A HDOF FROM TIJUANA TWR AND THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED AND ASKED ME TO STATE MY INTENTIONS. I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT I COULD USE RWY 26L/8R AT MY OWN RISK. THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY BUT CAME BACK ON THE RADIO AFTER A SHORT WHILE AS IF HE HAD CONFERRED WITH OTHER CTLRS IN THE TWR AND SAID 'PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.' I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS IN THE BLIND ON THE CTAF, LANDED, CLRED CUSTOMS AND DEPARTED AT XB06. ON ALL PHASES OF THE LNDG, TAXIING AND TKOF, I HAD EXCELLENT VISIBILITY AND DID NOT BELIEVE THAT I WAS ACTING IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. AFTER REACHING MY DEST, I CONFERRED WITH SOME FRIENDS ABOUT WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED AND THEY BELIEVED THAT I WAS NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO LAND SINCE THE ARPT WAS NOTAMED CLOSED. I CAN SEE THEIR POINT SO I HAVE FILED THIS RPT IN HOPES THAT PLTS COULD BE BETTER EDUCATED AS TO HOW TO PROCEED IN THIS TYPE OF SIT.

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.