Narrative:

NOTAM closure of sjc runway 30L-12R was received from FSS prior to departure. I asked at end of briefing again to verify closure was 30 left, from midnight to 6 am, since this is the ILS runway. I expected to arrival after tower closed at midnight. Departed 3s2 airport at pm PDT. Upon checking in with bay approach at about am PDT, ATC advised of tower already closed, no atcs, runway 30L-12R closed. No surprises there. With the field in sight, I cancelled IFR flight plan. Bay advised 1200 squawk, frequency change to CTAF. My call of 'left downward for 30 right' runway was answered by an unidentified voice, advising me that 'the right runway's lights are off and it's closed. The left has lights.' I countered that I'd received NOTAM of closure on left runway. He replied, 'you are right, but the left runway has lights.' (his use of 'right' meant 'correct.') I landed on the left runway west/O incident. Corrective actions. 1) I should have asked for the identity of the radio reply at sjc and whether he had used the runway. 2) I should have called approach to clarify runway availability. Failing resolution, there were plenty of VFR alternates from which to taxicab to sjc. 3) being based at sjc, I am well aware of construction on runway 29. There could have been equipment on 30L. 4) fatigue of course probably accounts for a large portion of misjudgments here. The flight was 2 plus 30 with a cabin altitude mostly at 8000'. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following. Reporter states after the fact he realized he made a wrong choice. Believes the fact bay approach had vectored him all over the place and the actual approach was from an unfamiliar position and direction was much of a problem. Fatigue was an additional factor. Does not know who gave information on CTAF re: lights on left runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LNDG ON CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: NOTAM CLOSURE OF SJC RWY 30L-12R WAS RECEIVED FROM FSS PRIOR TO DEP. I ASKED AT END OF BRIEFING AGAIN TO VERIFY CLOSURE WAS 30 LEFT, FROM MIDNIGHT TO 6 AM, SINCE THIS IS THE ILS RWY. I EXPECTED TO ARR AFTER TWR CLOSED AT MIDNIGHT. DEPARTED 3S2 ARPT AT PM PDT. UPON CHKING IN WITH BAY APCH AT ABOUT AM PDT, ATC ADVISED OF TWR ALREADY CLOSED, NO ATCS, RWY 30L-12R CLOSED. NO SURPRISES THERE. WITH THE FIELD IN SIGHT, I CANCELLED IFR FLT PLAN. BAY ADVISED 1200 SQUAWK, FREQ CHANGE TO CTAF. MY CALL OF 'LEFT DOWNWARD FOR 30 RIGHT' RWY WAS ANSWERED BY AN UNIDENTIFIED VOICE, ADVISING ME THAT 'THE RIGHT RWY'S LIGHTS ARE OFF AND IT'S CLOSED. THE LEFT HAS LIGHTS.' I COUNTERED THAT I'D RECEIVED NOTAM OF CLOSURE ON LEFT RWY. HE REPLIED, 'YOU ARE RIGHT, BUT THE LEFT RWY HAS LIGHTS.' (HIS USE OF 'RIGHT' MEANT 'CORRECT.') I LANDED ON THE LEFT RWY W/O INCIDENT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. 1) I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR THE IDENTITY OF THE RADIO REPLY AT SJC AND WHETHER HE HAD USED THE RWY. 2) I SHOULD HAVE CALLED APCH TO CLARIFY RWY AVAILABILITY. FAILING RESOLUTION, THERE WERE PLENTY OF VFR ALTERNATES FROM WHICH TO TAXICAB TO SJC. 3) BEING BASED AT SJC, I AM WELL AWARE OF CONSTRUCTION ON RWY 29. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN EQUIPMENT ON 30L. 4) FATIGUE OF COURSE PROBABLY ACCOUNTS FOR A LARGE PORTION OF MISJUDGMENTS HERE. THE FLT WAS 2 PLUS 30 WITH A CABIN ALT MOSTLY AT 8000'. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING. RPTR STATES AFTER THE FACT HE REALIZED HE MADE A WRONG CHOICE. BELIEVES THE FACT BAY APCH HAD VECTORED HIM ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THE ACTUAL APCH WAS FROM AN UNFAMILIAR POS AND DIRECTION WAS MUCH OF A PROBLEM. FATIGUE WAS AN ADDITIONAL FACTOR. DOES NOT KNOW WHO GAVE INFO ON CTAF RE: LIGHTS ON LEFT RWY.

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.