A C170 pilot followed another aircraft to land on runway 32 at blm, even though he knew it had been ...

Attributes
ACN	615022
Time
Date	200404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : blm.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 180 Skywagon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	615022
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	construction : blm.airport markings : blm.airport procedure or policy : blm.airport

Narrative:

I was approaching the airport with other traffic in the pattern. I requested the active runway and they stated runway 32. I entered a 45 degrees for that runway, with some apprehension because I thought that runway was notamed closed. I followed the C150 traffic and all of a sudden he went around because he said there was construction equipment at the far end of the runway. I continued to land, uneventfully, and realized that the runway was notamed closed. It really did not make me happy landing on a closed runway, but more so, the airport manager should have put X marks on the runway. There was nothing. I then overheard a conversation saying that only the last 2000 ft or so were closed, however, the NOTAM did not read that. Better communication between the airport manager and the FSS would have made this situation better. And me following the pack should have been stopped, and I should have landed on the other runway which, by the way, was actually into the wind. The closed runway had a 15 KT crosswind which is significant for a tailwheel aircraft such as mine.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C170 PLT FOLLOWED ANOTHER ACFT TO LAND ON RWY 32 AT BLM, EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW IT HAD BEEN NOTAMED CLOSED.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING THE ARPT WITH OTHER TFC IN THE PATTERN. I REQUESTED THE ACTIVE RWY AND THEY STATED RWY 32. I ENTERED A 45 DEGS FOR THAT RWY, WITH SOME APPREHENSION BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT RWY WAS NOTAMED CLOSED. I FOLLOWED THE C150 TFC AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE WENT AROUND BECAUSE HE SAID THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION EQUIP AT THE FAR END OF THE RWY. I CONTINUED TO LAND, UNEVENTFULLY, AND REALIZED THAT THE RWY WAS NOTAMED CLOSED. IT REALLY DID NOT MAKE ME HAPPY LNDG ON A CLOSED RWY, BUT MORE SO, THE ARPT MGR SHOULD HAVE PUT X MARKS ON THE RWY. THERE WAS NOTHING. I THEN OVERHEARD A CONVERSATION SAYING THAT ONLY THE LAST 2000 FT OR SO WERE CLOSED, HOWEVER, THE NOTAM DID NOT READ THAT. BETTER COM BTWN THE ARPT MGR AND THE FSS WOULD HAVE MADE THIS SIT BETTER. AND ME FOLLOWING THE PACK SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED, AND I SHOULD HAVE LANDED ON THE OTHER RWY WHICH, BY THE WAY, WAS ACTUALLY INTO THE WIND. THE CLOSED RWY HAD A 15 KT XWIND WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT FOR A TAILWHEEL ACFT SUCH AS MINE.

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.

A C170 pilot followed another aircraft to land on runway 32 at blm, even though he knew it had been notamed closed.