Narrative:

Pilot received 2 briefings from FSS, for 2 individual flts originating from and returning to mgy. IFR flight plans for both flts were filed and activated. Neither FSS briefer advised pilot of any NOTAM for runway closure. Final flight departed mgy for uni at XA35 local. No notice of runway closure was posted at mgy. Final leg of second flight departed uni at XF05 local, and ZID issued IFR clearance to mgy. When flight was approximately 30 NM from mgy, dayton approach advised that runway 02/20 (the only runway) at mgy was closed effective XA00 and requested intentions of pilot. After ineffective attempts to get clarification of situation from unicom, pilot canceled instruments and advised ATC of intention to make low approach, light up runway, and determine if runway was in fact closed and if landing could be safely accomplished. On first low approach, unidented persons on unicom falsely advised pilot that runway was closed and that there was painting equipment on runway. Pilot executed 2 low approachs, determined that runway was free of obstructions and that no closure markings (X's) were displayed. During third low approach, unidented party on unicom once again falsely advised pilot that the runway had paint cans and equipment on it. Landing was accomplished without incident. After engine shutdown, pilot and passenger were accosted by individual claiming that his painting crew had been endangered and threats of reprisals by FAA. This potentially dangerous situation should have been avoided: by having NOTAMS which advise of closure of all the runways at a given airport stated in terms of airport closure not runway closure. FSS specialists should always advise of the closure of airports of intended operations during preflight briefings. Program ATC computers to not accept IFR flight plans which would propose lndgs at airports during time of closure. Prohibit ATC from issuing IFR clrncs to airports which are 'closed.' outlaw the transmission of bogus field and or runway conditions on unicom. Advise all airport operators that 'closed runways' are to be designated by the display of appropriate markings (large X's).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT OF A C402 WAS ADVISED ONCE BY APCH, THEN TWICE BY MGY UNICOM, THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED DUE TO PAINTING EQUIP ON THE RWY. ASSESSING THE UNICOM INFO AS FALSE THE PLT LANDED ANYWAY AND WAS THEN ACCUSED OF ENDANGERING PEOPLE AND PROPERTY.

Narrative: PLT RECEIVED 2 BRIEFINGS FROM FSS, FOR 2 INDIVIDUAL FLTS ORIGINATING FROM AND RETURNING TO MGY. IFR FLT PLANS FOR BOTH FLTS WERE FILED AND ACTIVATED. NEITHER FSS BRIEFER ADVISED PLT OF ANY NOTAM FOR RWY CLOSURE. FINAL FLT DEPARTED MGY FOR UNI AT XA35 LCL. NO NOTICE OF RWY CLOSURE WAS POSTED AT MGY. FINAL LEG OF SECOND FLT DEPARTED UNI AT XF05 LCL, AND ZID ISSUED IFR CLRNC TO MGY. WHEN FLT WAS APPROX 30 NM FROM MGY, DAYTON APCH ADVISED THAT RWY 02/20 (THE ONLY RWY) AT MGY WAS CLOSED EFFECTIVE XA00 AND REQUESTED INTENTIONS OF PLT. AFTER INEFFECTIVE ATTEMPTS TO GET CLARIFICATION OF SIT FROM UNICOM, PLT CANCELED INSTS AND ADVISED ATC OF INTENTION TO MAKE LOW APCH, LIGHT UP RWY, AND DETERMINE IF RWY WAS IN FACT CLOSED AND IF LNDG COULD BE SAFELY ACCOMPLISHED. ON FIRST LOW APCH, UNIDENTED PERSONS ON UNICOM FALSELY ADVISED PLT THAT RWY WAS CLOSED AND THAT THERE WAS PAINTING EQUIP ON RWY. PLT EXECUTED 2 LOW APCHS, DETERMINED THAT RWY WAS FREE OF OBSTRUCTIONS AND THAT NO CLOSURE MARKINGS (X'S) WERE DISPLAYED. DURING THIRD LOW APCH, UNIDENTED PARTY ON UNICOM ONCE AGAIN FALSELY ADVISED PLT THAT THE RWY HAD PAINT CANS AND EQUIP ON IT. LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN, PLT AND PAX WERE ACCOSTED BY INDIVIDUAL CLAIMING THAT HIS PAINTING CREW HAD BEEN ENDANGERED AND THREATS OF REPRISALS BY FAA. THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED: BY HAVING NOTAMS WHICH ADVISE OF CLOSURE OF ALL THE RWYS AT A GIVEN ARPT STATED IN TERMS OF ARPT CLOSURE NOT RWY CLOSURE. FSS SPECIALISTS SHOULD ALWAYS ADVISE OF THE CLOSURE OF ARPTS OF INTENDED OPS DURING PREFLT BRIEFINGS. PROGRAM ATC COMPUTERS TO NOT ACCEPT IFR FLT PLANS WHICH WOULD PROPOSE LNDGS AT ARPTS DURING TIME OF CLOSURE. PROHIBIT ATC FROM ISSUING IFR CLRNCS TO ARPTS WHICH ARE 'CLOSED.' OUTLAW THE XMISSION OF BOGUS FIELD AND OR RWY CONDITIONS ON UNICOM. ADVISE ALL ARPT OPERATORS THAT 'CLOSED RWYS' ARE TO BE DESIGNATED BY THE DISPLAY OF APPROPRIATE MARKINGS (LARGE X'S).

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.