Narrative:

The airport lighting at 7g0 has been out of service for the past couple of months. This includes the runway lights as well as the PAPI; REIL; and airport beacon. A NOTAM advises that the field is closed at night. At approximately XB35 local time; I was returning to 7g0 after a local pleasure flight. Since I was going to pass through the rochester class C airspace; I contacted approach control approximately 20 miles south of roc. I advised the controller of my position; altitude; destination and I confirmed that I had received the current local ATIS information. The controller assigned me a beacon code and noted that ledgedale would be closed in about 13 minutes. At this point I was approximately 18 minutes away per the GPS so I advanced power to high cruise and began a shallow descent to expedite my arrival. I called the airport in sight at 12 miles and the controller again reminded me that the airport would be closed in a few minutes and I wasn't likely to make it. I continued and he told me that landing was at my own risk; gave me traffic advisories for two aircraft in the vicinity of ledgedale; assigned a VFR squawk code and approved a frequency change to the local CTAF. I proceeded and landed with no difficulty approximately 5 minutes after official sunset. Local WX was reported as light winds out of the north; a few clouds at 20000 ft and visibility of 10 miles. Actual flight visibility exceeded 15 miles. A nearly full moon had risen at approximately XA20 local. I believe the term 'closed at night' in the NOTAM was confusing. I had interpreted the word 'night' to have the same meaning as applied to pilot experience requirements implying that I had a period of one hour after official sunset before a condition of 'night' existed. I believe it would be less ambiguous if the NOTAM stated 'airport closed at sunset.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PILOT LANDED AT 7G0 SHORTLY AFTER TWILIGHT EVEN THOUGH THE AIRPORT WAS NOTAMED CLOSED AT NIGHT. HE REPORTED CONFUSION ABOUT THE FAA DEFINITION OF NIGHT.

Narrative: THE ARPT LIGHTING AT 7G0 HAS BEEN OUT OF SVC FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THIS INCLUDES THE RWY LIGHTS AS WELL AS THE PAPI; REIL; AND ARPT BEACON. A NOTAM ADVISES THAT THE FIELD IS CLOSED AT NIGHT. AT APPROX XB35 LCL TIME; I WAS RETURNING TO 7G0 AFTER A LOCAL PLEASURE FLT. SINCE I WAS GOING TO PASS THROUGH THE ROCHESTER CLASS C AIRSPACE; I CONTACTED APCH CTL APPROX 20 MILES SOUTH OF ROC. I ADVISED THE CTLR OF MY POSITION; ALT; DEST AND I CONFIRMED THAT I HAD RECEIVED THE CURRENT LOCAL ATIS INFO. THE CTLR ASSIGNED ME A BEACON CODE AND NOTED THAT LEDGEDALE WOULD BE CLOSED IN ABOUT 13 MINUTES. AT THIS POINT I WAS APPROX 18 MINUTES AWAY PER THE GPS SO I ADVANCED POWER TO HIGH CRUISE AND BEGAN A SHALLOW DESCENT TO EXPEDITE MY ARR. I CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT 12 MILES AND THE CTLR AGAIN REMINDED ME THAT THE ARPT WOULD BE CLOSED IN A FEW MINUTES AND I WASN'T LIKELY TO MAKE IT. I CONTINUED AND HE TOLD ME THAT LNDG WAS AT MY OWN RISK; GAVE ME TFC ADVISORIES FOR TWO ACFT IN THE VICINITY OF LEDGEDALE; ASSIGNED A VFR SQUAWK CODE AND APPROVED A FREQ CHANGE TO THE LOCAL CTAF. I PROCEEDED AND LANDED WITH NO DIFFICULTY APPROX 5 MINUTES AFTER OFFICIAL SUNSET. LOCAL WX WAS REPORTED AS LIGHT WINDS OUT OF THE NORTH; A FEW CLOUDS AT 20000 FT AND VISIBILITY OF 10 MILES. ACTUAL FLT VISIBILITY EXCEEDED 15 MILES. A NEARLY FULL MOON HAD RISEN AT APPROX XA20 LOCAL. I BELIEVE THE TERM 'CLOSED AT NIGHT' IN THE NOTAM WAS CONFUSING. I HAD INTERPRETED THE WORD 'NIGHT' TO HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS APPLIED TO PLT EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS IMPLYING THAT I HAD A PERIOD OF ONE HOUR AFTER OFFICIAL SUNSET BEFORE A CONDITION OF 'NIGHT' EXISTED. I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE LESS AMBIGUOUS IF THE NOTAM STATED 'ARPT CLOSED AT SUNSET.'

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.