CH7A instructor and trainee landed on a closed runway at rhv.

Attributes
ACN	509608
Time
Date	200104
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rhv.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Champion Citabria 7ECA
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	509608
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight departed rhv for currency practice of private pilot in front seat. Pilot had not flown within 90 days so wanted an instructor along. Runway 31R was closed because of a grass mower in the vicinity of the runway. We were 'cleared for takeoff runway 31L, make right traffic.' we asked for left traffic, but the tower did not hear us, so we made right traffic. Just as we turned downwind, tower cleared us to land runway 31L. Student was having some control problems from lack of recent experience and we were discussing this at the time we received and acknowledged the landing clearance. On base leg, student was still having control difficulties (low and slow) and again this was discussed (intercom used). We landed uneventfully on the right runway. After landing, tower informed us we had landed on the closed runway. Contributing factors: 1) right traffic for left runway. 2) cockpit distrs. 3) no 'X' on runway or working activity near closed runway. 4) tower not letting us know of our error on short final. 5) pilot stressed from new child. 6) instructor stressed from recent death in family and other stressful events. Corrective actions: paying more attention to runway closures, especially when runway not 'X'ed.' reducing stress levels before flying, discussing these events with this and other students so this will not be repeated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CH7A INSTRUCTOR AND TRAINEE LANDED ON A CLOSED RWY AT RHV.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED RHV FOR CURRENCY PRACTICE OF PVT PLT IN FRONT SEAT. PLT HAD NOT FLOWN WITHIN 90 DAYS SO WANTED AN INSTRUCTOR ALONG. RWY 31R WAS CLOSED BECAUSE OF A GRASS MOWER IN THE VICINITY OF THE RWY. WE WERE 'CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 31L, MAKE R TFC.' WE ASKED FOR L TFC, BUT THE TWR DID NOT HEAR US, SO WE MADE R TFC. JUST AS WE TURNED DOWNWIND, TWR CLRED US TO LAND RWY 31L. STUDENT WAS HAVING SOME CTL PROBS FROM LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE AND WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS AT THE TIME WE RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE LNDG CLRNC. ON BASE LEG, STUDENT WAS STILL HAVING CTL DIFFICULTIES (LOW AND SLOW) AND AGAIN THIS WAS DISCUSSED (INTERCOM USED). WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY ON THE R RWY. AFTER LNDG, TWR INFORMED US WE HAD LANDED ON THE CLOSED RWY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) R TFC FOR L RWY. 2) COCKPIT DISTRS. 3) NO 'X' ON RWY OR WORKING ACTIVITY NEAR CLOSED RWY. 4) TWR NOT LETTING US KNOW OF OUR ERROR ON SHORT FINAL. 5) PLT STRESSED FROM NEW CHILD. 6) INSTRUCTOR STRESSED FROM RECENT DEATH IN FAMILY AND OTHER STRESSFUL EVENTS. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: PAYING MORE ATTN TO RWY CLOSURES, ESPECIALLY WHEN RWY NOT 'X'ED.' REDUCING STRESS LEVELS BEFORE FLYING, DISCUSSING THESE EVENTS WITH THIS AND OTHER STUDENTS SO THIS WILL NOT BE REPEATED.

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.