A commercial instrument rated pilot flying a C172 at pbf reports confusion concerning the closure of...

Attributes
ACN	478550
Time
Date	200007
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbf.airport
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	ground other : disabled off rwy
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 380
ASRS Report	478550
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel oversight : airport manager
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unicom operator
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

An aircraft landed at pbf and experienced nose gear failure and pulled off the runway into the grass. I was planning to fly and assumed the airport would be closed. I witnessed 2 lndgs and 1 takeoff after the incident occurred. I started the airplane and began to taxi to the active runway. I was trying to contact unicom to see if airport was closed or open. I received no response from unicom and witnessed another aircraft land. When I took position on the active runway I could see the incident aircraft was clear of the runway. I then proceeded to take off and flew for approximately 45 mins. When I returned, I still could not raise unicom I landed and taxied in. Later after landing, I was advised that the airport was closed because of the aircraft that had the gear failure. If I would have known the airport was closed, I would not have taken off. There was no one available to confirm if it was closed or open. I saw the aircraft was clear of the runway so I took off. I feel the airport operators should have made it clear about the airport being closed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMERCIAL INST RATED PLT FLYING A C172 AT PBF RPTS CONFUSION CONCERNING THE CLOSURE OF THIS UNCTLED ARPT AFTER A DISABLED ACFT CLOSED ONE OF THE OPERATING RWYS.

Narrative: AN ACFT LANDED AT PBF AND EXPERIENCED NOSE GEAR FAILURE AND PULLED OFF THE RWY INTO THE GRASS. I WAS PLANNING TO FLY AND ASSUMED THE ARPT WOULD BE CLOSED. I WITNESSED 2 LNDGS AND 1 TKOF AFTER THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. I STARTED THE AIRPLANE AND BEGAN TO TAXI TO THE ACTIVE RWY. I WAS TRYING TO CONTACT UNICOM TO SEE IF ARPT WAS CLOSED OR OPEN. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM UNICOM AND WITNESSED ANOTHER ACFT LAND. WHEN I TOOK POS ON THE ACTIVE RWY I COULD SEE THE INCIDENT ACFT WAS CLR OF THE RWY. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF AND FLEW FOR APPROX 45 MINS. WHEN I RETURNED, I STILL COULD NOT RAISE UNICOM I LANDED AND TAXIED IN. LATER AFTER LNDG, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE ACFT THAT HAD THE GEAR FAILURE. IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE ARPT WAS CLOSED, I WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN OFF. THERE WAS NO ONE AVAILABLE TO CONFIRM IF IT WAS CLOSED OR OPEN. I SAW THE ACFT WAS CLR OF THE RWY SO I TOOK OFF. I FEEL THE ARPT OPERATORS SHOULD HAVE MADE IT CLR ABOUT THE ARPT BEING CLOSED.

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.

A commercial instrument rated pilot flying a C172 at pbf reports confusion concerning the closure of this uncontrolled airport after a disabled aircraft closed one of the operating runways.