Narrative:

Approximately XA00 I began to taxi my aircraft for a local flight. I had checked WX at the computer station in the main terminal. The local winds were 050 degrees at 8 KTS. I listened to the AWOS (118.525) and the winds seemed to be shifting more to the east. There were several airplanes departing on runway 2; and I decided that the winds were acceptable for me to use runway 2. After about 20 mins in the local practice area south of lot; as I was returning; I rechked AWOS. The reported winds were 080 degrees at 10 KTS. I listened for several cycles; and the wind varied from 070-080 degrees at 10-11 KTS. Listening to CTAF (122.8); I noted that aircraft were still using runway 2. I overflew the airport above pattern altitude; and noted that the 3 windsocks were indicating a wind favoring runway 9. I announced my position; and intention to land on runway 9 when the airplanes lined up to depart on runway 2 had done so. A radio call from unicom asked if I could use runway 2; as there were 3 grass mowers operating near runway 9. I stated that I had the mowers in sight near the approach end of runway 9; and I would land beyond them. The last airplane departing; a cherokee; asked for my position. I replied that I was on a high downwind for runway 9; had him in sight; and would land after he cleared the area. I announced downwind; base; and final. As I turned final; near the threshold of runway 9; one of the mowers on the south side of the runway turned and crossed the runway. As he did so; the driver of the mower waved his arm in the air; giving the universal sign of displeasure. I knew that I would land beyond him; but added some power to land further than I had planned. I taxied to the fuel truck; added 8 gallons of 100LL; which I knew would be sufficient for my next flight. As I pulled up to my hangar; the driver of the mower approached me with a very threatening attitude. He was wearing a headset with microphone that was attached to a radio on his belt that led me to believe he was monitoring CTAF and was aware of my intentions. He shouted that he was in error for not issuing a NOTAM to close runway 9; but that I was operating dangerously by landing on runway 9; and he 'did not want to hear my 'bs' explanations.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT KNOWING GRASS MOWERS WERE NEAR LOT'S RWY 9 LANDED LONG ON THE WIND FAVORABLE RWY BEYOND THE MOWERS' LOCATION.

Narrative: APPROX XA00 I BEGAN TO TAXI MY ACFT FOR A LCL FLT. I HAD CHKED WX AT THE COMPUTER STATION IN THE MAIN TERMINAL. THE LCL WINDS WERE 050 DEGS AT 8 KTS. I LISTENED TO THE AWOS (118.525) AND THE WINDS SEEMED TO BE SHIFTING MORE TO THE E. THERE WERE SEVERAL AIRPLANES DEPARTING ON RWY 2; AND I DECIDED THAT THE WINDS WERE ACCEPTABLE FOR ME TO USE RWY 2. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINS IN THE LCL PRACTICE AREA S OF LOT; AS I WAS RETURNING; I RECHKED AWOS. THE RPTED WINDS WERE 080 DEGS AT 10 KTS. I LISTENED FOR SEVERAL CYCLES; AND THE WIND VARIED FROM 070-080 DEGS AT 10-11 KTS. LISTENING TO CTAF (122.8); I NOTED THAT ACFT WERE STILL USING RWY 2. I OVERFLEW THE ARPT ABOVE PATTERN ALT; AND NOTED THAT THE 3 WINDSOCKS WERE INDICATING A WIND FAVORING RWY 9. I ANNOUNCED MY POS; AND INTENTION TO LAND ON RWY 9 WHEN THE AIRPLANES LINED UP TO DEPART ON RWY 2 HAD DONE SO. A RADIO CALL FROM UNICOM ASKED IF I COULD USE RWY 2; AS THERE WERE 3 GRASS MOWERS OPERATING NEAR RWY 9. I STATED THAT I HAD THE MOWERS IN SIGHT NEAR THE APCH END OF RWY 9; AND I WOULD LAND BEYOND THEM. THE LAST AIRPLANE DEPARTING; A CHEROKEE; ASKED FOR MY POS. I REPLIED THAT I WAS ON A HIGH DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9; HAD HIM IN SIGHT; AND WOULD LAND AFTER HE CLRED THE AREA. I ANNOUNCED DOWNWIND; BASE; AND FINAL. AS I TURNED FINAL; NEAR THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 9; ONE OF THE MOWERS ON THE S SIDE OF THE RWY TURNED AND CROSSED THE RWY. AS HE DID SO; THE DRIVER OF THE MOWER WAVED HIS ARM IN THE AIR; GIVING THE UNIVERSAL SIGN OF DISPLEASURE. I KNEW THAT I WOULD LAND BEYOND HIM; BUT ADDED SOME PWR TO LAND FURTHER THAN I HAD PLANNED. I TAXIED TO THE FUEL TRUCK; ADDED 8 GALLONS OF 100LL; WHICH I KNEW WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR MY NEXT FLT. AS I PULLED UP TO MY HANGAR; THE DRIVER OF THE MOWER APCHED ME WITH A VERY THREATENING ATTITUDE. HE WAS WEARING A HEADSET WITH MIKE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO A RADIO ON HIS BELT THAT LED ME TO BELIEVE HE WAS MONITORING CTAF AND WAS AWARE OF MY INTENTIONS. HE SHOUTED THAT HE WAS IN ERROR FOR NOT ISSUING A NOTAM TO CLOSE RWY 9; BUT THAT I WAS OPERATING DANGEROUSLY BY LNDG ON RWY 9; AND HE 'DID NOT WANT TO HEAR MY 'BS' EXPLANATIONS.'

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.