Narrative:

While I was working flight data earlier in the day, I had taken a NOTAM from radar that the davenport airport runway 15/33 was closed for painting. 2 1/2 hours later, while on approach control with light to moderate traffic, a citation checked on descending for the davenport airport. He stated on initial contact that he was on the localizer for runway 15. He did not state that he had any WX for the airport or information. I told him to expect the visual to the airport as I had other aircraft in the area doing VFR work. I believe that I was thinking that there was a reason for not clearing him then for the ILS. I was 'uniquely qualified' to ensure that he had the information on the runway closure and I completely failed to do so. I issued traffic over the marker until they reported the traffic insight. I asked if they had the airport in sight. The pilot's reply was 'no, but we're tracking the localizer.' if you've heard it once you've heard it a thousand times. I spaced it completely, cleared him for the ILS and switched him to advisory frequency. Was I distraction? No, I don't think so. I just forgot and I let them talk me into it. I am not nor would I ever blame the pilot. The closure was recent enough that he had not gotten it from AFSS. The airport folks said they never heard him on advisory or they would have told him. The fortunate point in all this is that the rain had forced them to quit painting 1/2 hour earlier and there were no workers on the runway when the jet landed. The newest revision to the faao 7210.56 states that an operational error is 'an aircraft lands...on a closed runway and it was determined that a NOTAM regarding the runway closure was not issued to the pilot as required, at an uncontrolled airport.' that is precisely what happened. Had I issued the information to the pilot I would not be typing this now. Had there been workers on that runway, the situation would be much different than it is. I speak at several pilot meetings a yr and I think that my favorite discussion starter is 'where did the chain begin and how could we have prevented it from starting?' well, in this case I know where the chain started, I'm just glad there were no more dire consequences than the paper shuffle at work and the embarrassment for my own mistake.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR AT MLI CLRS A PVT JET FOR AN ILS APCH TO AN UNCTLED ARPT WITH A CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: WHILE I WAS WORKING FLT DATA EARLIER IN THE DAY, I HAD TAKEN A NOTAM FROM RADAR THAT THE DAVENPORT ARPT RWY 15/33 WAS CLOSED FOR PAINTING. 2 1/2 HRS LATER, WHILE ON APCH CTL WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE TFC, A CITATION CHKED ON DSNDING FOR THE DAVENPORT ARPT. HE STATED ON INITIAL CONTACT THAT HE WAS ON THE LOC FOR RWY 15. HE DID NOT STATE THAT HE HAD ANY WX FOR THE ARPT OR INFO. I TOLD HIM TO EXPECT THE VISUAL TO THE ARPT AS I HAD OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA DOING VFR WORK. I BELIEVE THAT I WAS THINKING THAT THERE WAS A REASON FOR NOT CLRING HIM THEN FOR THE ILS. I WAS 'UNIQUELY QUALIFIED' TO ENSURE THAT HE HAD THE INFO ON THE RWY CLOSURE AND I COMPLETELY FAILED TO DO SO. I ISSUED TFC OVER THE MARKER UNTIL THEY RPTED THE TFC INSIGHT. I ASKED IF THEY HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. THE PLT'S REPLY WAS 'NO, BUT WE'RE TRACKING THE LOC.' IF YOU'VE HEARD IT ONCE YOU'VE HEARD IT A THOUSAND TIMES. I SPACED IT COMPLETELY, CLRED HIM FOR THE ILS AND SWITCHED HIM TO ADVISORY FREQ. WAS I DISTR? NO, I DON'T THINK SO. I JUST FORGOT AND I LET THEM TALK ME INTO IT. I AM NOT NOR WOULD I EVER BLAME THE PLT. THE CLOSURE WAS RECENT ENOUGH THAT HE HAD NOT GOTTEN IT FROM AFSS. THE ARPT FOLKS SAID THEY NEVER HEARD HIM ON ADVISORY OR THEY WOULD HAVE TOLD HIM. THE FORTUNATE POINT IN ALL THIS IS THAT THE RAIN HAD FORCED THEM TO QUIT PAINTING 1/2 HR EARLIER AND THERE WERE NO WORKERS ON THE RWY WHEN THE JET LANDED. THE NEWEST REVISION TO THE FAAO 7210.56 STATES THAT AN OPERROR IS 'AN ACFT LANDS...ON A CLOSED RWY AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A NOTAM REGARDING THE RWY CLOSURE WAS NOT ISSUED TO THE PLT AS REQUIRED, AT AN UNCTLED ARPT.' THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT HAPPENED. HAD I ISSUED THE INFO TO THE PLT I WOULD NOT BE TYPING THIS NOW. HAD THERE BEEN WORKERS ON THAT RWY, THE SIT WOULD BE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN IT IS. I SPEAK AT SEVERAL PLT MEETINGS A YR AND I THINK THAT MY FAVORITE DISCUSSION STARTER IS 'WHERE DID THE CHAIN BEGIN AND HOW COULD WE HAVE PREVENTED IT FROM STARTING?' WELL, IN THIS CASE I KNOW WHERE THE CHAIN STARTED, I'M JUST GLAD THERE WERE NO MORE DIRE CONSEQUENCES THAN THE PAPER SHUFFLE AT WORK AND THE EMBARRASSMENT FOR MY OWN MISTAKE.

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.