Narrative:

With clear skies, I made a sudden decision to fly to dalphin island, and return. Pensacola departure provided VFR flight following until I called dalphin island in sight. Approach was uneventful, until my landing flare at the end of the runway, and I noticed that there was an 'X' covered with rocks before the runway threshold. I then realized that the airport may be closed, but in the flare, I thought it was safer to just finish the landing (as the runway appeared to be normal) instead of going full power go around. I turned around on the runway, and took off the same way I landed. Upon arrival home, I checked the duats, and found dauphin island airport closed. Contributing factors: the sudden decision to fly to dauphin island. The totally great WX such that the ATIS gave all the WX I needed. The 'X' on the runway end was hard to see, because it was before the displaced threshold and it was covered with rocks. Pensacola clearance and departure control didn't 'remind' me of the airport being closed, although I realize that is not their job. (It's my responsibility to check the NOTAMS before the flight.) corrective action: be absolutely diligent about checking the NOTAMS for the local airports before every flight in the area. I already checked the NOTAMS and had the printout in the cockpit on instrument flts and VFR distance flts. But I won't ever again assume I know what's going on at the neighboring airports. It's easy enough to print out the WX and the NOTAMS from the duat before heading to the airport, even on beautiful and clear days.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON SHORT FINAL TO 4R9 ARPT, PLT REALIZES TOO LATE THAT RWY IS CLOSED AND MARKED WITH AN 'X.'

Narrative: WITH CLR SKIES, I MADE A SUDDEN DECISION TO FLY TO DALPHIN ISLAND, AND RETURN. PENSACOLA DEP PROVIDED VFR FLT FOLLOWING UNTIL I CALLED DALPHIN ISLAND IN SIGHT. APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL, UNTIL MY LNDG FLARE AT THE END OF THE RWY, AND I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN 'X' COVERED WITH ROCKS BEFORE THE RWY THRESHOLD. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE ARPT MAY BE CLOSED, BUT IN THE FLARE, I THOUGHT IT WAS SAFER TO JUST FINISH THE LNDG (AS THE RWY APPEARED TO BE NORMAL) INSTEAD OF GOING FULL PWR GAR. I TURNED AROUND ON THE RWY, AND TOOK OFF THE SAME WAY I LANDED. UPON ARR HOME, I CHKED THE DUATS, AND FOUND DAUPHIN ISLAND ARPT CLOSED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE SUDDEN DECISION TO FLY TO DAUPHIN ISLAND. THE TOTALLY GREAT WX SUCH THAT THE ATIS GAVE ALL THE WX I NEEDED. THE 'X' ON THE RWY END WAS HARD TO SEE, BECAUSE IT WAS BEFORE THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD AND IT WAS COVERED WITH ROCKS. PENSACOLA CLRNC AND DEP CTL DIDN'T 'REMIND' ME OF THE ARPT BEING CLOSED, ALTHOUGH I REALIZE THAT IS NOT THEIR JOB. (IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO CHK THE NOTAMS BEFORE THE FLT.) CORRECTIVE ACTION: BE ABSOLUTELY DILIGENT ABOUT CHKING THE NOTAMS FOR THE LCL ARPTS BEFORE EVERY FLT IN THE AREA. I ALREADY CHKED THE NOTAMS AND HAD THE PRINTOUT IN THE COCKPIT ON INST FLTS AND VFR DISTANCE FLTS. BUT I WON'T EVER AGAIN ASSUME I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE NEIGHBORING ARPTS. IT'S EASY ENOUGH TO PRINT OUT THE WX AND THE NOTAMS FROM THE DUAT BEFORE HEADING TO THE ARPT, EVEN ON BEAUTIFUL AND CLR DAYS.

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.