Narrative:

We were flying from ZZZ to ZZZ1. The release was issued with an ETD of XC53Z; and we left at XA18Z. ZZZ1 was reporting visual conditions and we were in VMC the entire flight. As we approached the ZZZ1; we could not identify the runway and determined that the pilot-controlled lighting was not functioning. We called operations to see if they knew anything about why the lights weren't working. Meanwhile; the center controller was informed by someone at center that the ZZZ1 airport was closed from XD00-XL00Z. I looked through our NOTAMS again and the only one I saw that fit was one that reported 'ZZZ1 ad closed' between those hours. When I had first read the NOTAMS; I saw this NOTAM but didn't know what 'ad' was (upon later discussion with the dispatcher; neither did he; nor did it appear in their list of abbreviations) and thought that it was tied to the airport construction still underway on several taxiways. Upon finding that the airport was closed; we received dispatcher instructions to divert back to ZZZ; where we landed without incident. Misunderstanding of NOTAM abbreviations or no knowledge of applicable NOTAMS on our part as well as that of the dispatcher (who sent the release) and ATC (who issued the clearance). There was also a lack of communication between the airport management staff (who were aware of our scheduled arrival time) and the company. It is also a problem that even if the NOTAM had been understood; our NOTAM system is clogged with many outdated NOTAMS that are no longer applicable (mostly fdc) but still appear on our releases. The NOTAM system needs to be cleaned up so that we are not overburdened with scores of expired NOTAMS. Dispatchers and pilots need to be more aware of applicable NOTAMS and whether they are still in effect.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR ACFT ARRIVED AT ITS DEST AND FOUND THE ARPT LIGHT SYSTEM INOP AND THE ARPT CLOSED. THE ACR NOTAM SYSTEM ABBREVIATIONS WERE NOT UNDERSTOOD.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1. THE RELEASE WAS ISSUED WITH AN ETD OF XC53Z; AND WE LEFT AT XA18Z. ZZZ1 WAS REPORTING VISUAL CONDITIONS AND WE WERE IN VMC THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. AS WE APPROACHED THE ZZZ1; WE COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE RUNWAY AND DETERMINED THAT THE PILOT-CONTROLLED LIGHTING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. WE CALLED OPERATIONS TO SEE IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT WHY THE LIGHTS WEREN'T WORKING. MEANWHILE; THE CENTER CONTROLLER WAS INFORMED BY SOMEONE AT CENTER THAT THE ZZZ1 ARPT WAS CLOSED FROM XD00-XL00Z. I LOOKED THROUGH OUR NOTAMS AGAIN AND THE ONLY ONE I SAW THAT FIT WAS ONE THAT REPORTED 'ZZZ1 AD CLOSED' BETWEEN THOSE HOURS. WHEN I HAD FIRST READ THE NOTAMS; I SAW THIS NOTAM BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT 'AD' WAS (UPON LATER DISCUSSION WITH THE DISPATCHER; NEITHER DID HE; NOR DID IT APPEAR IN THEIR LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS) AND THOUGHT THAT IT WAS TIED TO THE AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION STILL UNDERWAY ON SEVERAL TAXIWAYS. UPON FINDING THAT THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED; WE RECEIVED DISPATCHER INSTRUCTIONS TO DIVERT BACK TO ZZZ; WHERE WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. MISUNDERSTANDING OF NOTAM ABBREVIATIONS OR NO KNOWLEDGE OF APPLICABLE NOTAMS ON OUR PART AS WELL AS THAT OF THE DISPATCHER (WHO SENT THE RELEASE) AND ATC (WHO ISSUED THE CLEARANCE). THERE WAS ALSO A LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT STAFF (WHO WERE AWARE OF OUR SCHEDULED ARRIVAL TIME) AND THE COMPANY. IT IS ALSO A PROBLEM THAT EVEN IF THE NOTAM HAD BEEN UNDERSTOOD; OUR NOTAM SYSTEM IS CLOGGED WITH MANY OUTDATED NOTAMS THAT ARE NO LONGER APPLICABLE (MOSTLY FDC) BUT STILL APPEAR ON OUR RELEASES. THE NOTAM SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP SO THAT WE ARE NOT OVERBURDENED WITH SCORES OF EXPIRED NOTAMS. DISPATCHERS AND PILOTS NEED TO BE MORE AWARE OF APPLICABLE NOTAMS AND WHETHER THEY ARE STILL IN EFFECT.

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.