Narrative:

The first 1000 ft of runway 27L at melbourne international (mlb) is notamed closed. We were taxiing out at XA45 local time, in the dark, before the tower was open. We taxiied out taxiway 'right' to the runway, taxiway 'right' enters the runway from the south about 1450 ft west of the end of the runway. In order to get the most from the runway, we turned right (east) and backtaxiied toward what we thought was the displaced threshold. After turning east, we noticed that the centerline lights were covered with sandbags! This was our first and only indication that we may have been on part of the closed runway. I'm still not sure if we were or not because there was no other indication of this section being closed. There were some flashing stanchions much farther down the runway. With the tower closed, we couldn't ask them for guidance. The closed portion of this runway needs to be more clearly marked. Putting sandbags over the centerline lights is not on appropriate method of indicating a portion of the runway is closed-especially at night. Someone landing on this portion on the centerline would get quite a surprise.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD-88 CREW EXPERIENCED IMPROPERLY MARKED CLOSED PORTION OF RWY 27L AT MLB.

Narrative: THE FIRST 1000 FT OF RWY 27L AT MELBOURNE INTL (MLB) IS NOTAMED CLOSED. WE WERE TAXIING OUT AT XA45 LOCAL TIME, IN THE DARK, BEFORE THE TWR WAS OPEN. WE TAXIIED OUT TXWY 'R' TO THE RWY, TXWY 'R' ENTERS THE RWY FROM THE SOUTH ABOUT 1450 FT W OF THE END OF THE RWY. IN ORDER TO GET THE MOST FROM THE RWY, WE TURNED R (E) AND BACKTAXIIED TOWARD WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD. AFTER TURNING E, WE NOTICED THAT THE CENTERLINE LIGHTS WERE COVERED WITH SANDBAGS! THIS WAS OUR FIRST AND ONLY INDICATION THAT WE MAY HAVE BEEN ON PART OF THE CLOSED RWY. I'M STILL NOT SURE IF WE WERE OR NOT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OTHER INDICATION OF THIS SECTION BEING CLOSED. THERE WERE SOME FLASHING STANCHIONS MUCH FARTHER DOWN THE RWY. WITH THE TWR CLOSED, WE COULDN'T ASK THEM FOR GUIDANCE. THE CLOSED PORTION OF THIS RWY NEEDS TO BE MORE CLEARLY MARKED. PUTTING SANDBAGS OVER THE CENTERLINE LIGHTS IS NOT ON APPROPRIATE METHOD OF INDICATING A PORTION OF THE RWY IS CLOSED-ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. SOMEONE LNDG ON THIS PORTION ON THE CENTERLINE WOULD GET QUITE A SURPRISE.

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.