Narrative:

I had just opened satellite position. I heard something on frequency but it was garbled. Soon after that an aircraft called for an IFR clearance. The airport was notamed closed. I advised pilot of NOTAM. Someone then said on frequency that 'it's open.' I issued aircraft X his clearance; he read it back and said he was ready; off runway 14. I released him. Right after that personnel at ZZZ radioed that the airport was still closed until XA00 am. I asked aircraft X if they heard that and no response. Personnel then reiterated that airport was closed and that the aircraft was taking off at his own risk. Aircraft then reported airborne and I reported to personnel at ZZZ that aircraft was no factor. I am not sure who said that the airport was open. I should have made sure of who it was that said that. Also after issuing the NOTAM to the pilot; is it then up to him to depart when the airport is open? (No void time given) they are also calling a pilot deviation on the pilot. Supplemental information from acn 757595: after listening to the airport ASOS; I started taxiing out to the active runway 14. As I approached the taxiway from the FBO; I saw that the airport runway and taxiway lights were out. I listened to the ASOS again; and heard no mention of an airport closure. I turned the aircraft around to go back to the FBO to check out the situation. As I was going back to the FBO; the airport taxiway and runway lights came on. I took this to be a sign that the airport was open for business. I taxied to runway 14; and received my clearance on the way. Minneapolis clearance delivery mentioned a NOTAM for an airport closure. I told the controller that there was no mention of the closure on the ASOS; and told him that the lights were now on at the airport. He gave me my route clearance and my departure release. I took off uneventfully; and was unaware of any problem until minneapolis departure gave me a phone number to call. I called the number and was informed that a preliminary investigation was in progress for a runway incursion. I feel that the airport closure NOTAM should have definitely been included in the NOTAM report on the ASOS. If that had been the case; this incident would not have happened. Further; maintenance personnel on the ground should monitor the airport's CTAF to ensure that pilots can be warned prior to taking a runway where maintenance may or may not be in progress.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR AND FLT CREW DESCRIBE IFR DEP FROM CLOSED ARPT; CLAIMING LACK AND CONFUSED INFO REGARDING ARPT STATUS; NO FAA INFO RECORDED.

Narrative: I HAD JUST OPENED SATELLITE POS. I HEARD SOMETHING ON FREQ BUT IT WAS GARBLED. SOON AFTER THAT AN ACFT CALLED FOR AN IFR CLRNC. THE ARPT WAS NOTAMED CLOSED. I ADVISED PLT OF NOTAM. SOMEONE THEN SAID ON FREQ THAT 'IT'S OPEN.' I ISSUED ACFT X HIS CLRNC; HE READ IT BACK AND SAID HE WAS READY; OFF RWY 14. I RELEASED HIM. RIGHT AFTER THAT PERSONNEL AT ZZZ RADIOED THAT THE ARPT WAS STILL CLOSED UNTIL XA00 AM. I ASKED ACFT X IF THEY HEARD THAT AND NO RESPONSE. PERSONNEL THEN REITERATED THAT ARPT WAS CLOSED AND THAT THE ACFT WAS TAKING OFF AT HIS OWN RISK. ACFT THEN RPTED AIRBORNE AND I RPTED TO PERSONNEL AT ZZZ THAT ACFT WAS NO FACTOR. I AM NOT SURE WHO SAID THAT THE ARPT WAS OPEN. I SHOULD HAVE MADE SURE OF WHO IT WAS THAT SAID THAT. ALSO AFTER ISSUING THE NOTAM TO THE PLT; IS IT THEN UP TO HIM TO DEPART WHEN THE ARPT IS OPEN? (NO VOID TIME GIVEN) THEY ARE ALSO CALLING A PLTDEV ON THE PLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 757595: AFTER LISTENING TO THE ARPT ASOS; I STARTED TAXIING OUT TO THE ACTIVE RWY 14. AS I APCHED THE TXWY FROM THE FBO; I SAW THAT THE ARPT RWY AND TXWY LIGHTS WERE OUT. I LISTENED TO THE ASOS AGAIN; AND HEARD NO MENTION OF AN ARPT CLOSURE. I TURNED THE ACFT AROUND TO GO BACK TO THE FBO TO CHK OUT THE SITUATION. AS I WAS GOING BACK TO THE FBO; THE ARPT TXWY AND RWY LIGHTS CAME ON. I TOOK THIS TO BE A SIGN THAT THE ARPT WAS OPEN FOR BUSINESS. I TAXIED TO RWY 14; AND RECEIVED MY CLRNC ON THE WAY. MINNEAPOLIS CLRNC DELIVERY MENTIONED A NOTAM FOR AN ARPT CLOSURE. I TOLD THE CTLR THAT THERE WAS NO MENTION OF THE CLOSURE ON THE ASOS; AND TOLD HIM THAT THE LIGHTS WERE NOW ON AT THE ARPT. HE GAVE ME MY RTE CLRNC AND MY DEP RELEASE. I TOOK OFF UNEVENTFULLY; AND WAS UNAWARE OF ANY PROB UNTIL MINNEAPOLIS DEP GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL. I CALLED THE NUMBER AND WAS INFORMED THAT A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION WAS IN PROGRESS FOR A RWY INCURSION. I FEEL THAT THE ARPT CLOSURE NOTAM SHOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN INCLUDED IN THE NOTAM RPT ON THE ASOS. IF THAT HAD BEEN THE CASE; THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. FURTHER; MAINT PERSONNEL ON THE GND SHOULD MONITOR THE ARPT'S CTAF TO ENSURE THAT PLTS CAN BE WARNED PRIOR TO TAKING A RWY WHERE MAINT MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN PROGRESS.

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.