Narrative:

While preparing for the flight to rno; I read over the dispatch release and accompanying information (weather; NOTAMS; etc...) for the flight. I also noticed the first officer look over the information as well. Everything seemed in order and we departed. While listening to the ATIS en route; it mentioned our dispatch planned landing of runway 34L was closed. I double checked the NOTAM section and found the closure listed in the jungle of NOTAMS for rno. As you may know the NOTAM section is somewhat archaic. All the information is clumped together and abbreviated; which does not make it very easy to extract the needed information. In this case; the NOTAMS ordered starting from rno (which listed 5 or six NOTAMS); fmg (one NOTAM); MMM (6 or 7 NOTAMS); and rno's closure was in the middle of MMM's data. Yes; the data was presented to the flight crew (and dispatch); but it is not by any means readily identifiable. Take into account the distractions (fuelers; cabin crew; ramp agents; ATC; maintenance; etc...) that come into the picture when trying to ready a flight. In our case it posed no threat to our flight; and we had adequate performance for the other runways.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF DH8 DISCOVER PLANNED LNDG RWY AT DEST IS CLOSED. ADVISORY NOTAM IS BURIED IN THE MIDDLE OF NON PERTINENT ITEMS AND IS MISSED DURING PREFLT.

Narrative: WHILE PREPARING FOR THE FLT TO RNO; I READ OVER THE DISPATCH RELEASE AND ACCOMPANYING INFORMATION (WEATHER; NOTAMS; ETC...) FOR THE FLT. I ALSO NOTICED THE FO LOOK OVER THE INFORMATION AS WELL. EVERYTHING SEEMED IN ORDER AND WE DEPARTED. WHILE LISTENING TO THE ATIS ENRTE; IT MENTIONED OUR DISPATCH PLANNED LNDG OF RWY 34L WAS CLOSED. I DOUBLE CHKED THE NOTAM SECTION AND FOUND THE CLOSURE LISTED IN THE JUNGLE OF NOTAMS FOR RNO. AS YOU MAY KNOW THE NOTAM SECTION IS SOMEWHAT ARCHAIC. ALL THE INFORMATION IS CLUMPED TOGETHER AND ABBREVIATED; WHICH DOES NOT MAKE IT VERY EASY TO EXTRACT THE NEEDED INFORMATION. IN THIS CASE; THE NOTAMS ORDERED STARTING FROM RNO (WHICH LISTED 5 OR SIX NOTAMS); FMG (ONE NOTAM); MMM (6 OR 7 NOTAMS); AND RNO'S CLOSURE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF MMM'S DATA. YES; THE DATA WAS PRESENTED TO THE FLIGHT CREW (AND DISPATCH); BUT IT IS NOT BY ANY MEANS READILY IDENTIFIABLE. TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DISTRACTIONS (FUELERS; CABIN CREW; RAMP AGENTS; ATC; MAINT; ETC...) THAT COME INTO THE PICTURE WHEN TRYING TO READY A FLT. IN OUR CASE IT POSED NO THREAT TO OUR FLT; AND WE HAD ADEQUATE PERFORMANCE FOR THE OTHER RWYS.

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.