Unauthorized landing on closed runway.

Attributes
ACN	92452
Time
Date	198808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n85
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 20000
ASRS Report	92452
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Returning to alexandria airport, nj, from flight to mmu, nj airport had been notamed closed runway 25 during my absence (that morning) for survey. No 'X' on runway visible. Radios failed in flight, so no communication to discover closing. Found out after landing. I should have called FSS for information prior to return, but never expected runway to close during my absence. Airport radio and office operator said he discovered the crew were doing the survey when he arrived to open the office and had not been informed of the scheduled work by the owner until the morning of the survey crew's arrival. If I had checked FSS for NOTAMS or if the runway had had a large 'X' on it, the incident could have been avoided. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter says, 'I learned about flying from this--and after 20000 hours of flying.' no notice had been given at the airport and this was a no radio situation, so no chance for unicom to warn pilot. Training flight with departure 4 hours earlier. Fortunately survey crew was not on runway at time of landing. No markings on runway. Small country airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH LNDG ON CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: RETURNING TO ALEXANDRIA ARPT, NJ, FROM FLT TO MMU, NJ ARPT HAD BEEN NOTAMED CLOSED RWY 25 DURING MY ABSENCE (THAT MORNING) FOR SURVEY. NO 'X' ON RWY VISIBLE. RADIOS FAILED IN FLT, SO NO COM TO DISCOVER CLOSING. FOUND OUT AFTER LNDG. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FSS FOR INFO PRIOR TO RETURN, BUT NEVER EXPECTED RWY TO CLOSE DURING MY ABSENCE. ARPT RADIO AND OFFICE OPERATOR SAID HE DISCOVERED THE CREW WERE DOING THE SURVEY WHEN HE ARRIVED TO OPEN THE OFFICE AND HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE SCHEDULED WORK BY THE OWNER UNTIL THE MORNING OF THE SURVEY CREW'S ARRIVAL. IF I HAD CHKED FSS FOR NOTAMS OR IF THE RWY HAD HAD A LARGE 'X' ON IT, THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAYS, 'I LEARNED ABOUT FLYING FROM THIS--AND AFTER 20000 HRS OF FLYING.' NO NOTICE HAD BEEN GIVEN AT THE ARPT AND THIS WAS A NO RADIO SITUATION, SO NO CHANCE FOR UNICOM TO WARN PLT. TRNING FLT WITH DEP 4 HRS EARLIER. FORTUNATELY SURVEY CREW WAS NOT ON RWY AT TIME OF LNDG. NO MARKINGS ON RWY. SMALL COUNTRY ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.