Narrative:

We were in contact with ZAU all the way and were clear for the approach at grr 10 mi behind another AC500, in our way in 4.5 mi from map we were told by center that cancellation from the other traffic was received and that we were clear for the approach, that change of frequency was approved, so we broadcast distance and intentions on the CTAF frequency. At 3.2 mi final a voice came over the frequency and said they were closing the runways due to some freezing rain that went past the airport and left a sheet of ice over the runway. I simply said to her, we were 2 mi final and that we were landing at our own risk. I thought this was someone playing with us, since ARTCC already had cleared us for the approach and we had the runway in sight, but then controller implied to me that, that this was going to be a deviation and that they needed some information from me. I did not know what a deviation was so I asked. Controller simply said it was an airport procedure, once they open a closed runway for someone's use, in my recollection we were never told by ZAU that they had put a NOTAM for grr and that they were going to close the runways, further more we were clear for the approach. On the ground, I called center and told him what had happened that he did not say anything to us about the NOTAM on grr, he simply said that he had just been told and talked to airport operations at grr and that they informed him that they were closing the runways. Landing was uneventful. We found fair braking action, but I feel ATC people shouldn't broadcast blindly over CTAF and further more to close a runway when an aircraft is 3 mi final. They should have better communication with center frequency, especially at night when tower is not in operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AC50 CREW, ON SHORT FINAL TO GRR, WERE INFORMED BY CTAF, THE RWY WAS CLOSED. THEY ELECTED TO LAND DESPITE THE CLOSURE.

Narrative: WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH ZAU ALL THE WAY AND WERE CLR FOR THE APCH AT GRR 10 MI BEHIND ANOTHER AC500, IN OUR WAY IN 4.5 MI FROM MAP WE WERE TOLD BY CTR THAT CANCELLATION FROM THE OTHER TFC WAS RECEIVED AND THAT WE WERE CLR FOR THE APCH, THAT CHANGE OF FREQ WAS APPROVED, SO WE BROADCAST DISTANCE AND INTENTIONS ON THE CTAF FREQ. AT 3.2 MI FINAL A VOICE CAME OVER THE FREQ AND SAID THEY WERE CLOSING THE RWYS DUE TO SOME FREEZING RAIN THAT WENT PAST THE ARPT AND LEFT A SHEET OF ICE OVER THE RWY. I SIMPLY SAID TO HER, WE WERE 2 MI FINAL AND THAT WE WERE LNDG AT OUR OWN RISK. I THOUGHT THIS WAS SOMEONE PLAYING WITH US, SINCE ARTCC ALREADY HAD CLRED US FOR THE APCH AND WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT, BUT THEN CTLR IMPLIED TO ME THAT, THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A DEV AND THAT THEY NEEDED SOME INFO FROM ME. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT A DEV WAS SO I ASKED. CTLR SIMPLY SAID IT WAS AN ARPT PROC, ONCE THEY OPEN A CLOSED RWY FOR SOMEONE'S USE, IN MY RECOLLECTION WE WERE NEVER TOLD BY ZAU THAT THEY HAD PUT A NOTAM FOR GRR AND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CLOSE THE RWYS, FURTHER MORE WE WERE CLR FOR THE APCH. ON THE GND, I CALLED CTR AND TOLD HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED THAT HE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO US ABOUT THE NOTAM ON GRR, HE SIMPLY SAID THAT HE HAD JUST BEEN TOLD AND TALKED TO ARPT OPS AT GRR AND THAT THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WERE CLOSING THE RWYS. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE FOUND FAIR BRAKING ACTION, BUT I FEEL ATC PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BROADCAST BLINDLY OVER CTAF AND FURTHER MORE TO CLOSE A RWY WHEN AN ACFT IS 3 MI FINAL. THEY SHOULD HAVE BETTER COM WITH CTR FREQ, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHEN TWR IS NOT IN OP.

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.