Narrative:

The problem and how it arose: the problem in this incident was operation from a runway that had a NOTAM for closure in place. I flew a routine currency mission from the richland airport (identifier 93C). I operated a C172 for 3 takeoffs and lndgs. Operation duration .5 hours (hobbs). Several days after operation I discovered that there was in fact a NOTAM that had been posted for runway closure due to unknown reason. 1/2 hour prior to takeoff; I called the local FSS for WX information. They indicated a runway closure due to snow however I interpreted this as 9/27; the grass runway at 93C; as there was approximately 20+ inches of uncleared snow on that runway. I discovered several days after the flight that the NOTAM was for the paved runway 17/35 that I was operating from. The flight service briefer probably did state runway 17/35 was the closure however I interpreted the closed runway to be runway 9/27. Factors affecting why I did not recognize the runway closure: upon arrival at 93C I observed that runway 17/35 was plowed. Snow banks of about 30-40 inches high were present from approximately 25 ft out from the centerline of the runway in each direction providing a total runway width of 45-50 ft. The runway was clear down to bare pavement in most places with some patches of snow present. There was another pilot operating this aircraft from runway 17/35 when I arrived at the airport. There was no indication on the runway; at the terminal building/clubhouse; gate to the runway; in the hangar where the airplane is housed; or inside the airplane; that the runway was in fact closed. There was no large yellow 'X' or any other marking placed on the runway indicating runway closure. There was no indication of closure marked around the windsock. Other than the NOTAM information I was given by the FSS; there was no way to tell that the runway was closed. I misinterpreted this information due to the fact that there was no apparent conceivable reason that runway 17/35 should have been closed at the time. Since that time further investigation has shown that the NOTAM was apparently posted a few days prior by the city's representative for the purpose of snow clearing operations to clear snow from the runway that had fallen on those days. This individual is not a pilot nor does he generally post NOTAMS for 93C to my knowledge and he did not clear the NOTAM following the completion of the snow removal. Discovery of the situation: I discovered the situation several days later when I was informed in an email conversation with my flight instructor; who had conducted my most recent BFR; that he had thought the runway was closed from checking NOTAMS. Corrective action: no corrective action was taken at the time of the incident as I was unaware of the situation. There was no danger at the time of the incident to myself; my aircraft; any other aircraft; or pilots or anyone else because of the incident due to the fact that the NOTAM still being posted was an oversight by a city official unfamiliar with far's and procedures and was thus accidental. How I could prevent a similar situation from happening in the future. Pay special attention to the preflight briefer and ask clarifying questions to check for understanding. How could others have acted to prevent this situation. When the runway is closed; post the proper markings indicating the condition (ie; big yellow 'X' at the end of the runway). Post the NOTAM in the terminal building; on the gate to the runway; in the aircraft; on the hangar door; or other conspicuous well frequented location so that a pilot might instantly recognize that the runway is closed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C172 CONDUCTED TKOFS AND LNDGS AT A LOCAL ARPT; AND DISCOVERED LATER THAT THE RWY HAD BEEN CLOSED FOR SNOW REMOVAL

Narrative: THE PROB AND HOW IT AROSE: THE PROB IN THIS INCIDENT WAS OP FROM A RWY THAT HAD A NOTAM FOR CLOSURE IN PLACE. I FLEW A ROUTINE CURRENCY MISSION FROM THE RICHLAND ARPT (IDENTIFIER 93C). I OPERATED A C172 FOR 3 TKOFS AND LNDGS. OP DURATION .5 HRS (HOBBS). SEVERAL DAYS AFTER OP I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS IN FACT A NOTAM THAT HAD BEEN POSTED FOR RWY CLOSURE DUE TO UNKNOWN REASON. 1/2 HR PRIOR TO TKOF; I CALLED THE LCL FSS FOR WX INFO. THEY INDICATED A RWY CLOSURE DUE TO SNOW HOWEVER I INTERPRETED THIS AS 9/27; THE GRASS RWY AT 93C; AS THERE WAS APPROX 20+ INCHES OF UNCLEARED SNOW ON THAT RWY. I DISCOVERED SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE FLT THAT THE NOTAM WAS FOR THE PAVED RWY 17/35 THAT I WAS OPERATING FROM. THE FLT SVC BRIEFER PROBABLY DID STATE RWY 17/35 WAS THE CLOSURE HOWEVER I INTERPRETED THE CLOSED RWY TO BE RWY 9/27. FACTORS AFFECTING WHY I DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE RWY CLOSURE: UPON ARR AT 93C I OBSERVED THAT RWY 17/35 WAS PLOWED. SNOW BANKS OF ABOUT 30-40 INCHES HIGH WERE PRESENT FROM APPROX 25 FT OUT FROM THE CTRLINE OF THE RWY IN EACH DIRECTION PROVIDING A TOTAL RWY WIDTH OF 45-50 FT. THE RWY WAS CLR DOWN TO BARE PAVEMENT IN MOST PLACES WITH SOME PATCHES OF SNOW PRESENT. THERE WAS ANOTHER PLT OPERATING THIS ACFT FROM RWY 17/35 WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT. THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON THE RWY; AT THE TERMINAL BUILDING/CLUBHOUSE; GATE TO THE RWY; IN THE HANGAR WHERE THE AIRPLANE IS HOUSED; OR INSIDE THE AIRPLANE; THAT THE RWY WAS IN FACT CLOSED. THERE WAS NO LARGE YELLOW 'X' OR ANY OTHER MARKING PLACED ON THE RWY INDICATING RWY CLOSURE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF CLOSURE MARKED AROUND THE WINDSOCK. OTHER THAN THE NOTAM INFO I WAS GIVEN BY THE FSS; THERE WAS NO WAY TO TELL THAT THE RWY WAS CLOSED. I MISINTERPRETED THIS INFO DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO APPARENT CONCEIVABLE REASON THAT RWY 17/35 SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSED AT THE TIME. SINCE THAT TIME FURTHER INVESTIGATION HAS SHOWN THAT THE NOTAM WAS APPARENTLY POSTED A FEW DAYS PRIOR BY THE CITY'S REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF SNOW CLRING OPS TO CLR SNOW FROM THE RWY THAT HAD FALLEN ON THOSE DAYS. THIS INDIVIDUAL IS NOT A PLT NOR DOES HE GENERALLY POST NOTAMS FOR 93C TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND HE DID NOT CLR THE NOTAM FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE SNOW REMOVAL. DISCOVERY OF THE SITUATION: I DISCOVERED THE SITUATION SEVERAL DAYS LATER WHEN I WAS INFORMED IN AN EMAIL CONVERSATION WITH MY FLT INSTRUCTOR; WHO HAD CONDUCTED MY MOST RECENT BFR; THAT HE HAD THOUGHT THE RWY WAS CLOSED FROM CHKING NOTAMS. CORRECTIVE ACTION: NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT AS I WAS UNAWARE OF THE SITUATION. THERE WAS NO DANGER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT TO MYSELF; MY ACFT; ANY OTHER ACFT; OR PLTS OR ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE OF THE INCIDENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE NOTAM STILL BEING POSTED WAS AN OVERSIGHT BY A CITY OFFICIAL UNFAMILIAR WITH FAR'S AND PROCS AND WAS THUS ACCIDENTAL. HOW I COULD PREVENT A SIMILAR SITUATION FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. PAY SPECIAL ATTN TO THE PREFLT BRIEFER AND ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS TO CHK FOR UNDERSTANDING. HOW COULD OTHERS HAVE ACTED TO PREVENT THIS SITUATION. WHEN THE RWY IS CLOSED; POST THE PROPER MARKINGS INDICATING THE CONDITION (IE; BIG YELLOW 'X' AT THE END OF THE RWY). POST THE NOTAM IN THE TERMINAL BUILDING; ON THE GATE TO THE RWY; IN THE ACFT; ON THE HANGAR DOOR; OR OTHER CONSPICUOUS WELL FREQUENTED LOCATION SO THAT A PLT MIGHT INSTANTLY RECOGNIZE THAT THE RWY IS CLOSED.

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.