Narrative:

Pleasure flying to bozeman, mt, from fort collins, co. The WX was MVFR, ceilings were approximately 1200 ft, and visibility 1 1/2 mi. As I approached sheridan, I talked to the local FBO who informed me that they knew of no traffic in the area, and recommended runway 32, and to be cautious of the snow on the runway. I landed at sheridan and after tying down the airplane, went inside the FBO to discuss tying the airplane down for the next few days and renting a car for the remainder of the trip to bozeman. An in-flight WX briefing was obtained and was showing deteriorating conditions north of sheridan, into billings and bozeman, so the decision was made to land at sheridan and drive the remainder of the trip. When inside the FBO, a gentleman there, whose name I did not get, said 'it looks like you managed to find our closed runway.' after discussion, runway 31 has been closed for some time and due to the snow that was located over that closed runway, you could not depict the 'X' indicating the closed runway. After continued discussion the statement was made by the same gentleman, that 'this happens all the time' -- meaning the landing on that particular closed runway. It only differs by 10 degrees from the primary active runway. No injury or accident was involved, but a landing on a closed runway was involved. I consider aviation safety to be of utmost importance, particularly in the area of GA. I wanted to inform you of these events and of the situation at sheridan. Continued plowing of that runway during winter WX conditions is extremely important when snow may accumulate over the runway, and due to the fact that it is only 10 degrees difference from the primary active makes it susceptible to incorrect identify.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF M20 E DIVERTS DUE TO DETERIORATING WX AT DEST. HE LANDS ON CLOSED RWY AT SHR.

Narrative: PLEASURE FLYING TO BOZEMAN, MT, FROM FORT COLLINS, CO. THE WX WAS MVFR, CEILINGS WERE APPROX 1200 FT, AND VISIBILITY 1 1/2 MI. AS I APCHED SHERIDAN, I TALKED TO THE LCL FBO WHO INFORMED ME THAT THEY KNEW OF NO TFC IN THE AREA, AND RECOMMENDED RWY 32, AND TO BE CAUTIOUS OF THE SNOW ON THE RWY. I LANDED AT SHERIDAN AND AFTER TYING DOWN THE AIRPLANE, WENT INSIDE THE FBO TO DISCUSS TYING THE AIRPLANE DOWN FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND RENTING A CAR FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP TO BOZEMAN. AN INFLT WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED AND WAS SHOWING DETERIORATING CONDITIONS N OF SHERIDAN, INTO BILLINGS AND BOZEMAN, SO THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND AT SHERIDAN AND DRIVE THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. WHEN INSIDE THE FBO, A GENTLEMAN THERE, WHOSE NAME I DID NOT GET, SAID 'IT LOOKS LIKE YOU MANAGED TO FIND OUR CLOSED RWY.' AFTER DISCUSSION, RWY 31 HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR SOME TIME AND DUE TO THE SNOW THAT WAS LOCATED OVER THAT CLOSED RWY, YOU COULD NOT DEPICT THE 'X' INDICATING THE CLOSED RWY. AFTER CONTINUED DISCUSSION THE STATEMENT WAS MADE BY THE SAME GENTLEMAN, THAT 'THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME' -- MEANING THE LNDG ON THAT PARTICULAR CLOSED RWY. IT ONLY DIFFERS BY 10 DEGS FROM THE PRIMARY ACTIVE RWY. NO INJURY OR ACCIDENT WAS INVOLVED, BUT A LNDG ON A CLOSED RWY WAS INVOLVED. I CONSIDER AVIATION SAFETY TO BE OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA OF GA. I WANTED TO INFORM YOU OF THESE EVENTS AND OF THE SIT AT SHERIDAN. CONTINUED PLOWING OF THAT RWY DURING WINTER WX CONDITIONS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WHEN SNOW MAY ACCUMULATE OVER THE RWY, AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS ONLY 10 DEGS DIFFERENCE FROM THE PRIMARY ACTIVE MAKES IT SUSCEPTIBLE TO INCORRECT IDENT.

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.