Narrative:

We departed opa locka airport. At the time; the airport tower was closed. Upon departure we contacted miami departure and were given our assigned heading and altitude. Miami then called us and said the opa locka tower (which was closed at the time as we tried to contact them) said we departed from a closed runway (9L). Both the captain and I had checked the NOTAMS in our WX/airport/flight plan packet prior to departure. There was nothing in the NOTAMS that stated runway 9L was closed. There was also nothing in the ASOS stating any runway closures. We also reviewed the airport diagram again to see if we missed something. There was nothing on the plate stating any hours of operations for any of the runways. When we got to our destination; we again checked NOTAMS to see if we missed anything; and again; the NOTAMS were identical to the ones in our packet -- none noting runway 9L closed or specific hours of operation. Finally; we decided to call opa locka tower. The gentleman said that one particular runway does not open until later. We told him we checked NOTAMS and the ASOS; our airport plate; and there was nothing stated on any of them regarding the open time for that runway. The gentleman said the only place that information can be found is in the AFD. As we operate worldwide; we do not carry; nor does the company provide or require there to be AFD's on board for our operations. This I find troubling. Both the captain and I are extremely conscious to operating safely and within the letter of the far's. While this was not a major situation; in fact the gentleman in the tower said don't worry about it -- it happens frequently -- the information was not available to us as pilots. Either the company should provide AFD's. Carrying AFD's for every airport in the world would be space prohibitive; so it seems the best option would be to add that information to the airport plate; put it on the ASOS or in the NOTAMS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW DEPARTED OPF FROM CLOSED RWY. RWY CLOSURE IS ONLY SPECIFIED IN AIRPORT FACILITY DIRECTORY.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED OPA LOCKA AIRPORT. AT THE TIME; THE AIRPORT TOWER WAS CLOSED. UPON DEPARTURE WE CONTACTED MIAMI DEPARTURE AND WERE GIVEN OUR ASSIGNED HEADING AND ALTITUDE. MIAMI THEN CALLED US AND SAID THE OPA LOCKA TOWER (WHICH WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME AS WE TRIED TO CONTACT THEM) SAID WE DEPARTED FROM A CLOSED RUNWAY (9L). BOTH THE CAPT AND I HAD CHECKED THE NOTAMS IN OUR WX/AIRPORT/FLIGHT PLAN PACKET PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE NOTAMS THAT STATED RWY 9L WAS CLOSED. THERE WAS ALSO NOTHING IN THE ASOS STATING ANY RUNWAY CLOSURES. WE ALSO REVIEWED THE ARPT DIAGRAM AGAIN TO SEE IF WE MISSED SOMETHING. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE PLATE STATING ANY HOURS OF OPERATIONS FOR ANY OF THE RUNWAYS. WHEN WE GOT TO OUR DESTINATION; WE AGAIN CHECKED NOTAMS TO SEE IF WE MISSED ANYTHING; AND AGAIN; THE NOTAMS WERE IDENTICAL TO THE ONES IN OUR PACKET -- NONE NOTING RWY 9L CLOSED OR SPECIFIC HOURS OF OPERATION. FINALLY; WE DECIDED TO CALL OPA LOCKA TOWER. THE GENTLEMAN SAID THAT ONE PARTICULAR RUNWAY DOES NOT OPEN UNTIL LATER. WE TOLD HIM WE CHECKED NOTAMS AND THE ASOS; OUR ARPT PLATE; AND THERE WAS NOTHING STATED ON ANY OF THEM REGARDING THE OPEN TIME FOR THAT RUNWAY. THE GENTLEMAN SAID THE ONLY PLACE THAT INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IS IN THE AFD. AS WE OPERATE WORLDWIDE; WE DO NOT CARRY; NOR DOES THE COMPANY PROVIDE OR REQUIRE THERE TO BE AFD'S ON BOARD FOR OUR OPERATIONS. THIS I FIND TROUBLING. BOTH THE CAPT AND I ARE EXTREMELY CONSCIOUS TO OPERATING SAFELY AND WITHIN THE LETTER OF THE FAR'S. WHILE THIS WAS NOT A MAJOR SITUATION; IN FACT THE GENTLEMAN IN THE TOWER SAID DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT -- IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY -- THE INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO US AS PILOTS. EITHER THE COMPANY SHOULD PROVIDE AFD'S. CARRYING AFD'S FOR EVERY AIRPORT IN THE WORLD WOULD BE SPACE PROHIBITIVE; SO IT SEEMS THE BEST OPTION WOULD BE TO ADD THAT INFORMATION TO THE ARPT PLATE; PUT IT ON THE ASOS OR IN THE NOTAMS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.