Narrative:

Before my flight to ZZZ I called the ZZZ tower regarding the unclear NOTAM and was briefed on the NOTAM affecting ZZZ. The NOTAM read to me over the phone by ZZZ tower indicated that all airport landing and taxi lights would be off beginning at xa:00. I discussed this NOTAM with the tower and they agreed that the NOTAM did not say that the runway was closed nor that the airport would be closed. With that understanding; I proceeded to fly to ZZZ knowing the WX was VFR; that I had a great deal of night landing experience at that airport and that my aircraft landing lights were sufficient for a safe landing. Upon contacting approach en route I was again notified that ZZZ had a NOTAM for airport lights and that the NOTAM was unclear as to whether the airport was closed or whether there was actual work on the field. Upon discussing this with approach; as I neared ZZZ at approximately xa:05; I then changed frequency to ZZZ tower to ascertain the actual conditions at ZZZ and I reached a maintenance person who told me the runway was in fact closed. After passing over ZZZ; I recontacted approach and chose to land at ZZZ1. It had been suggested that I may have descended below an appropriate altitude; or that I should not have approached ZZZ to determine visually if the field was open. All procedures were safe; appropriate and controlled.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNCLEAR NOTAM REGARDING RWY AND TXWY LIGHT OUTAGES AT HIS DESTINATION LURES PC12 PLT TO FLY THERE ONLY TO BE INFORMED THE ARPT IS CLOSED.

Narrative: BEFORE MY FLT TO ZZZ I CALLED THE ZZZ TWR REGARDING THE UNCLEAR NOTAM AND WAS BRIEFED ON THE NOTAM AFFECTING ZZZ. THE NOTAM READ TO ME OVER THE PHONE BY ZZZ TWR INDICATED THAT ALL ARPT LANDING AND TAXI LIGHTS WOULD BE OFF BEGINNING AT XA:00. I DISCUSSED THIS NOTAM WITH THE TWR AND THEY AGREED THAT THE NOTAM DID NOT SAY THAT THE RWY WAS CLOSED NOR THAT THE ARPT WOULD BE CLOSED. WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING; I PROCEEDED TO FLY TO ZZZ KNOWING THE WX WAS VFR; THAT I HAD A GREAT DEAL OF NIGHT LANDING EXPERIENCE AT THAT ARPT AND THAT MY ACFT LANDING LIGHTS WERE SUFFICIENT FOR A SAFE LANDING. UPON CONTACTING APCH ENRTE I WAS AGAIN NOTIFIED THAT ZZZ HAD A NOTAM FOR ARPT LIGHTS AND THAT THE NOTAM WAS UNCLEAR AS TO WHETHER THE ARPT WAS CLOSED OR WHETHER THERE WAS ACTUAL WORK ON THE FIELD. UPON DISCUSSING THIS WITH APCH; AS I NEARED ZZZ AT APPROXIMATELY XA:05; I THEN CHANGED FREQ TO ZZZ TWR TO ASCERTAIN THE ACTUAL CONDITIONS AT ZZZ AND I REACHED A MAINT PERSON WHO TOLD ME THE RWY WAS IN FACT CLOSED. AFTER PASSING OVER ZZZ; I RECONTACTED APCH AND CHOSE TO LAND AT ZZZ1. IT HAD BEEN SUGGESTED THAT I MAY HAVE DESCENDED BELOW AN APPROPRIATE ALT; OR THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE APCHED ZZZ TO DETERMINE VISUALLY IF THE FIELD WAS OPEN. ALL PROCS WERE SAFE; APPROPRIATE AND CONTROLLED.

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.