Narrative:

Having landed at hinton near mid-september, I was aware of the construction for some time. On sep/tue/04, while en route, I planned again to stop at hinton. WX was deteriorating to the west based on information from the internet, and I was anxious to begin my trip without seeking a briefing from FSS at mcalester. Upon arrival at 1000 ft above the airport I noticed there was an X on the grass prior to the numbers 35 on the pavement. I also noticed that the new runway extension had an X over the numbers 17. In the middle of the runway, the original numbers at the old threshold for runway 17 did not have an X. This setup indicated that runway 35 was not available for landing due to the lack of a run-off area and the possibility of taxiing into the construction area to the north. The 17 with an X on it, in the new extension, indicated that landing in that area was not authority/authorized. The fact that the number 17 at the old threshold, nearer to midfield, did not have an X on it indicated to me that I was authority/authorized to land in the old touchdown zone. I estimated I had 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours of fuel aboard and that I may not have enough fuel to reach amarillo, tx. So I landed. Upon landing, I observed that all the txwys leading off the runway were void of pavement. I turned off my engine and towed the aircraft to fuel by hand and back to the runway by hand. Because the numbers 35 did not have an X covering them indicating runway 35 was closed, I departed runway 35. After pondering this situation for safety, I concluded that the airport might have been closed. I recommend placing an X over the numbers 17 and 35 to indicate closure if this is the intent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF M20P DEPARTS ON XCOUNTRY FLT WITHOUT AN FSS BRIEFING. DISCOVERS FUEL STOP ARPT RWY IS CLOSED. LANDS ANYWAY DUE TO LOW FUEL STATE.

Narrative: HAVING LANDED AT HINTON NEAR MID-SEPTEMBER, I WAS AWARE OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR SOME TIME. ON SEP/TUE/04, WHILE ENRTE, I PLANNED AGAIN TO STOP AT HINTON. WX WAS DETERIORATING TO THE W BASED ON INFO FROM THE INTERNET, AND I WAS ANXIOUS TO BEGIN MY TRIP WITHOUT SEEKING A BRIEFING FROM FSS AT MCALESTER. UPON ARR AT 1000 FT ABOVE THE ARPT I NOTICED THERE WAS AN X ON THE GRASS PRIOR TO THE NUMBERS 35 ON THE PAVEMENT. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE NEW RWY EXTENSION HAD AN X OVER THE NUMBERS 17. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RWY, THE ORIGINAL NUMBERS AT THE OLD THRESHOLD FOR RWY 17 DID NOT HAVE AN X. THIS SETUP INDICATED THAT RWY 35 WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR LNDG DUE TO THE LACK OF A RUN-OFF AREA AND THE POSSIBILITY OF TAXIING INTO THE CONSTRUCTION AREA TO THE N. THE 17 WITH AN X ON IT, IN THE NEW EXTENSION, INDICATED THAT LNDG IN THAT AREA WAS NOT AUTH. THE FACT THAT THE NUMBER 17 AT THE OLD THRESHOLD, NEARER TO MIDFIELD, DID NOT HAVE AN X ON IT INDICATED TO ME THAT I WAS AUTH TO LAND IN THE OLD TOUCHDOWN ZONE. I ESTIMATED I HAD 1 HR TO 1 1/2 HRS OF FUEL ABOARD AND THAT I MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO REACH AMARILLO, TX. SO I LANDED. UPON LNDG, I OBSERVED THAT ALL THE TXWYS LEADING OFF THE RWY WERE VOID OF PAVEMENT. I TURNED OFF MY ENG AND TOWED THE ACFT TO FUEL BY HAND AND BACK TO THE RWY BY HAND. BECAUSE THE NUMBERS 35 DID NOT HAVE AN X COVERING THEM INDICATING RWY 35 WAS CLOSED, I DEPARTED RWY 35. AFTER PONDERING THIS SIT FOR SAFETY, I CONCLUDED THAT THE ARPT MIGHT HAVE BEEN CLOSED. I RECOMMEND PLACING AN X OVER THE NUMBERS 17 AND 35 TO INDICATE CLOSURE IF THIS IS THE INTENT.

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.