37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 706571 |
Time | |
Date | 200608 |
Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
State Reference | US |
Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Operator | general aviation : personal |
Make Model Name | PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | ground : preflight ground : parked |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | other |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
Experience | flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 1200 |
ASRS Report | 706571 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | government : faa |
Function | other personnel |
Events | |
Anomaly | cabin event : passenger illness ground encounters other incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
Independent Detector | other controllera |
Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
Consequence | faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
Supplementary | |
Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance ATC Human Performance FAA |
Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Departed ZZZ1 on IFR flight to ZZZ2; about 2 hour flight. Leveled at 7000 ft and was handed off from center to abc approach. At that point; my son (passenger) started complaining of intestinal distress and asked if we could land. GPS showed ZZZ3 as closest airport. I advised approach of our situation and they also pointed out ZZZ3; behind us by about 4 mi. We were on top of a scattered layer with good visibility underneath so I requested the visual to ZZZ3. I was cleared to descend to 4000 ft direct ZZZ3. Checking ZZZ3 ASOS; WX was about 4000 ft broken; 10 mi visibility. There were no additional warnings on the ASOS. Broke out; canceled IFR and set up for landing. There was 1 aircraft in the pattern; landed normally. No X's on runway; no equipment working anywhere; no signs or notes at pilot lounge. 2 more aircraft arrived and departed while I was there. When I called FSS to re-file; they advised ZZZ3 runway was notamed closed. The specialist contacted the city; who advised that NOTAM should be canceled. Specialist said he would have to file a report since I had landed at a 'closed' airport and asked if I had received NOTAM. Since ZZZ3 was far enough from departure and destination; I was unaware of closure. While I understand my responsibility to obtain all pertinent information prior to flight; it is unreasonable to expect that I have that information for any possible airport along a 280 NM route.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN IFR PA32 PLT MADE AN UNSCHEDULED LNDG WITH AN ILL PAX. HE DISCOVERED THE ARPT WAS NOTAMED CLOSED WHEN HE FILED TO HIS DEST.
Narrative: DEPARTED ZZZ1 ON IFR FLT TO ZZZ2; ABOUT 2 HR FLT. LEVELED AT 7000 FT AND WAS HANDED OFF FROM CTR TO ABC APCH. AT THAT POINT; MY SON (PAX) STARTED COMPLAINING OF INTESTINAL DISTRESS AND ASKED IF WE COULD LAND. GPS SHOWED ZZZ3 AS CLOSEST ARPT. I ADVISED APCH OF OUR SITUATION AND THEY ALSO POINTED OUT ZZZ3; BEHIND US BY ABOUT 4 MI. WE WERE ON TOP OF A SCATTERED LAYER WITH GOOD VISIBILITY UNDERNEATH SO I REQUESTED THE VISUAL TO ZZZ3. I WAS CLRED TO DSND TO 4000 FT DIRECT ZZZ3. CHKING ZZZ3 ASOS; WX WAS ABOUT 4000 FT BROKEN; 10 MI VISIBILITY. THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL WARNINGS ON THE ASOS. BROKE OUT; CANCELED IFR AND SET UP FOR LNDG. THERE WAS 1 ACFT IN THE PATTERN; LANDED NORMALLY. NO X'S ON RWY; NO EQUIP WORKING ANYWHERE; NO SIGNS OR NOTES AT PLT LOUNGE. 2 MORE ACFT ARRIVED AND DEPARTED WHILE I WAS THERE. WHEN I CALLED FSS TO RE-FILE; THEY ADVISED ZZZ3 RWY WAS NOTAMED CLOSED. THE SPECIALIST CONTACTED THE CITY; WHO ADVISED THAT NOTAM SHOULD BE CANCELED. SPECIALIST SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO FILE A RPT SINCE I HAD LANDED AT A 'CLOSED' ARPT AND ASKED IF I HAD RECEIVED NOTAM. SINCE ZZZ3 WAS FAR ENOUGH FROM DEP AND DEST; I WAS UNAWARE OF CLOSURE. WHILE I UNDERSTAND MY RESPONSIBILITY TO OBTAIN ALL PERTINENT INFO PRIOR TO FLT; IT IS UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT I HAVE THAT INFO FOR ANY POSSIBLE ARPT ALONG A 280 NM RTE.
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.