Narrative:

I flew from pqn VFR with no filed flight plan to mds to meet with family. Mds does not have ATIS or AWOS and no one was answering the unicom frequency so I could ask about the wind. There was; however; 1 aircraft departing mds who said that the wind was favoring the turf runway. I knew from pqn and from checking the AWOS/ATIS at other airports in the vicinity that the winds were westerly at 12-15 KTS with gusts between 18-24 KTS. I elected to fly over the field at 1000 ft AGL to check the wind sock and saw that it was standing stiff indicating a strong wind at about 240 or 250 degree. At mds runway 15/33 is paved and runway 3/21 is turf. Being that the maximum demonstrated crosswind ability of my airplane is 16 KTS; I elected runway 21 as the best option for landing. Later; before departing on an IFR flight plan from mds; I received a briefing on the NOTAMS at mds and learned that runway 3/21 was listed as being closed. I was surprised as this was not clearly marked on the runway; otherwise I would not have landed on runway 3/21. After departure on runway 15; I looked again at the turf runway and saw a half 'X' on one end and the other had what appeared to be an 'X' covered with straw or grass. These markings were not clear enough to indicate that the runway was closed. There are several contributing factors to this event. First; I did not see the NOTAM about runway 3/21 being closed before departing pqn for mds. Had I checked the NOTAMS more thoroughly; I would not have attempted the flight. Second; the winds made landing on runway 15/33 dangerous as the maximum demonstrated crosswind ability of my airplane would most certainly have been exceeded in the event of a strong gust on landing. Third; runway 3/21 was not clearly marked as being closed. I have no excuse for not checking the NOTAMS. Had I checked and seen that runway 3/21 was closed; I would have had my family meet us elsewhere; given the general direction and velocity of the winds in the area. Additionally; the situation would have been avoided had runway 3/21 been clearly marked as being closed. I will definitely be doing a more thorough check of NOTAMS before departing on any VFR flts going forward; regardless of how short the distance and no matter how familiar I am with the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177 PLT LANDED ON A CLOSED RWY AT MDS.

Narrative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

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.