A C150 pilot crossing a mountain range encountered IMC and attempted to land at a closed airport for...

Attributes
ACN	671778
Time
Date	200509
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	671778
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

As I crossed the mountain chain that lets you into ZZZ; the space in the clouds was closing in. I called ZZZ traffic to report. At that time I was informed ZZZ was closed. I turned back to cross the mountain for my alternate; but the clouds had closed in my passage; no other airports were within 30 min at that time except ZZZ. I explained my situation to airport manager. He gave permission for me to land and refuel. This is an airport I fly to often. I never thought of it being closed. From now on I'll call the airport for status before departing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that one additional problem he encountered was the aircraft; an older C150; had a higher fuel consumption than he had flight planned. He was very concerned that he would have to land off airport. He was planning his gliding strategy when he was finally allowed into the closed airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 PLT CROSSING A MOUNTAIN RANGE ENCOUNTERED IMC AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT A CLOSED ARPT FOR FUEL. THE ARPT MGR OPENED TEMPORARILY FOR HIM.

Narrative: AS I CROSSED THE MOUNTAIN CHAIN THAT LETS YOU INTO ZZZ; THE SPACE IN THE CLOUDS WAS CLOSING IN. I CALLED ZZZ TFC TO RPT. AT THAT TIME I WAS INFORMED ZZZ WAS CLOSED. I TURNED BACK TO CROSS THE MOUNTAIN FOR MY ALTERNATE; BUT THE CLOUDS HAD CLOSED IN MY PASSAGE; NO OTHER ARPTS WERE WITHIN 30 MIN AT THAT TIME EXCEPT ZZZ. I EXPLAINED MY SIT TO ARPT MGR. HE GAVE PERMISSION FOR ME TO LAND AND REFUEL. THIS IS AN ARPT I FLY TO OFTEN. I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT BEING CLOSED. FROM NOW ON I'LL CALL THE ARPT FOR STATUS BEFORE DEPARTING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT ONE ADDITIONAL PROB HE ENCOUNTERED WAS THE ACFT; AN OLDER C150; HAD A HIGHER FUEL CONSUMPTION THAN HE HAD FLT PLANNED. HE WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO LAND OFF ARPT. HE WAS PLANNING HIS GLIDING STRATEGY WHEN HE WAS FINALLY ALLOWED INTO THE CLOSED ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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 C150 pilot crossing a mountain range encountered IMC and attempted to land at a closed airport for fuel. The airport manager opened temporarily for him.