Narrative:

Mem was in a north confign; landing runway 36L; 36R; and 27. Runway 36C was not advertised on the ATIS as a landing or departing runway; but was not listed as 'closed.' internally; we considered runway 36C as 'closed' due to the fact that construction was taking place at the departure end on taxiway a. We were briefed that the runway could be used in an 'emergency' for landing traffic; but we were not to use the runway for any departures. An MD80 called on my frequency for runway 36R; and I cleared the aircraft to land on runway 36R. The pilot came back and immediately asked if runway 36C was available; and I replied that the runway was not available. The pilot then asked me why the approach lights and associated ILS were on for a runway that was 'not available.' the pilot then wanted to know if the runway was closed or not. At this point; the tower supervisor instructed me to just tell the pilot that runway 36C was 'not available' and leave it at that. This situation is obviously confusing to pilots and controllers; as I observed this type of transaction take place many times over the next 3 days as pilots and controllers discussed the status of runway 36C. I believe that mem airport officials and mem FAA management officials have set us up for an accident or error with the status of the runway as 'unavailable;' as opposed to 'open' or 'closed.' add runway; associated taxiway lights and the runway 36C ILS system -- and you have an open invitation for a pilot to ask for and/or accidentally land on the wrong runway. I recommend that the memphis-shelby county airport authority/authorized and mem FAA management list the runway as 'closed' if the aviation community is not allowed to land or depart from this runway. This is an unsafe situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE ARPT AND FAA MGMNT'S PROC REF CLOSED RWY PROCS.

Narrative: MEM WAS IN A N CONFIGN; LNDG RWY 36L; 36R; AND 27. RWY 36C WAS NOT ADVERTISED ON THE ATIS AS A LNDG OR DEPARTING RWY; BUT WAS NOT LISTED AS 'CLOSED.' INTERNALLY; WE CONSIDERED RWY 36C AS 'CLOSED' DUE TO THE FACT THAT CONSTRUCTION WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE DEP END ON TXWY A. WE WERE BRIEFED THAT THE RWY COULD BE USED IN AN 'EMER' FOR LNDG TFC; BUT WE WERE NOT TO USE THE RWY FOR ANY DEPS. AN MD80 CALLED ON MY FREQ FOR RWY 36R; AND I CLRED THE ACFT TO LAND ON RWY 36R. THE PLT CAME BACK AND IMMEDIATELY ASKED IF RWY 36C WAS AVAILABLE; AND I REPLIED THAT THE RWY WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE PLT THEN ASKED ME WHY THE APCH LIGHTS AND ASSOCIATED ILS WERE ON FOR A RWY THAT WAS 'NOT AVAILABLE.' THE PLT THEN WANTED TO KNOW IF THE RWY WAS CLOSED OR NOT. AT THIS POINT; THE TWR SUPVR INSTRUCTED ME TO JUST TELL THE PLT THAT RWY 36C WAS 'NOT AVAILABLE' AND LEAVE IT AT THAT. THIS SITUATION IS OBVIOUSLY CONFUSING TO PLTS AND CTLRS; AS I OBSERVED THIS TYPE OF TRANSACTION TAKE PLACE MANY TIMES OVER THE NEXT 3 DAYS AS PLTS AND CTLRS DISCUSSED THE STATUS OF RWY 36C. I BELIEVE THAT MEM ARPT OFFICIALS AND MEM FAA MGMNT OFFICIALS HAVE SET US UP FOR AN ACCIDENT OR ERROR WITH THE STATUS OF THE RWY AS 'UNAVAILABLE;' AS OPPOSED TO 'OPEN' OR 'CLOSED.' ADD RWY; ASSOCIATED TXWY LIGHTS AND THE RWY 36C ILS SYS -- AND YOU HAVE AN OPEN INVITATION FOR A PLT TO ASK FOR AND/OR ACCIDENTALLY LAND ON THE WRONG RWY. I RECOMMEND THAT THE MEMPHIS-SHELBY COUNTY ARPT AUTH AND MEM FAA MGMNT LIST THE RWY AS 'CLOSED' IF THE AVIATION COMMUNITY IS NOT ALLOWED TO LAND OR DEPART FROM THIS RWY. THIS IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION.

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.