Narrative:

After we were cleared for a visual approach from about 12 mi out, visual contact with the field was made at approximately 6 mi out. The runway was temporarily blocked from view by our wingtip fuel tank immediately prior to the base-to-final turn. After rolling out on final we appeared to be perfectly lined up with the runway. A smooth touchdown was made near the approach end of the pavement. About 1000 ft into the rollout, we saw the yellow 'X' on the pavement, which was located a considerable distance down the runway, well beyond the approach end of the pavement. There were several contributing factors that led to our touchdown on the closed runway. First, there is no mention of a closed runway in the airport facility directory. The closed runway is depicted in the airport diagram on the united states terminal procedures, however, upon being cleared for the visual approach and upon sighting the airport we had put our approach plates away. Second, the closed runway is longer than the active runway and visually appears to be a main, active runway. Third, we were distracted by moderate turbulence during the approach and landing, and a considerable slip was required to counteract the 20-25 KT crosswind from the right. Finally, the paint on the yellow 'X' was faded, and the first 'X' was located well beyond the touchdown point where a pilot's eyes would customarily be focused while on final. 2 corrective actions are warranted. First, in the case of parallel runways, the 'left/right' designators should not be dropped when 1 runway is closed. The airport facility directory should state in the remarks section that runways 15R and 33L are permanently closed. Second, the yellow 'X's' need to be repainted and repositioned so that the first 'X' is closer to the ends of the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C310 PLT PERFORMS A LNDG ON A CLOSED RWY AT SELMA, AL.

Narrative: AFTER WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH FROM ABOUT 12 MI OUT, VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE FIELD WAS MADE AT APPROX 6 MI OUT. THE RWY WAS TEMPORARILY BLOCKED FROM VIEW BY OUR WINGTIP FUEL TANK IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE BASE-TO-FINAL TURN. AFTER ROLLING OUT ON FINAL WE APPEARED TO BE PERFECTLY LINED UP WITH THE RWY. A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE NEAR THE APCH END OF THE PAVEMENT. ABOUT 1000 FT INTO THE ROLLOUT, WE SAW THE YELLOW 'X' ON THE PAVEMENT, WHICH WAS LOCATED A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE DOWN THE RWY, WELL BEYOND THE APCH END OF THE PAVEMENT. THERE WERE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT LED TO OUR TOUCHDOWN ON THE CLOSED RWY. FIRST, THERE IS NO MENTION OF A CLOSED RWY IN THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. THE CLOSED RWY IS DEPICTED IN THE ARPT DIAGRAM ON THE UNITED STATES TERMINAL PROCS, HOWEVER, UPON BEING CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND UPON SIGHTING THE ARPT WE HAD PUT OUR APCH PLATES AWAY. SECOND, THE CLOSED RWY IS LONGER THAN THE ACTIVE RWY AND VISUALLY APPEARS TO BE A MAIN, ACTIVE RWY. THIRD, WE WERE DISTRACTED BY MODERATE TURB DURING THE APCH AND LNDG, AND A CONSIDERABLE SLIP WAS REQUIRED TO COUNTERACT THE 20-25 KT XWIND FROM THE R. FINALLY, THE PAINT ON THE YELLOW 'X' WAS FADED, AND THE FIRST 'X' WAS LOCATED WELL BEYOND THE TOUCHDOWN POINT WHERE A PLT'S EYES WOULD CUSTOMARILY BE FOCUSED WHILE ON FINAL. 2 CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE WARRANTED. FIRST, IN THE CASE OF PARALLEL RWYS, THE 'L/R' DESIGNATORS SHOULD NOT BE DROPPED WHEN 1 RWY IS CLOSED. THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY SHOULD STATE IN THE REMARKS SECTION THAT RWYS 15R AND 33L ARE PERMANENTLY CLOSED. SECOND, THE YELLOW 'X'S' NEED TO BE REPAINTED AND REPOSITIONED SO THAT THE FIRST 'X' IS CLOSER TO THE ENDS OF THE RWY.

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.