C414A LIFEGUARD FLT ARRIVED AT DEST ARPT TO FIND IT CLOSED UNTIL 5 HRS LATER. RPTR PLT WAS ABLE TO COM WITH UNICOM AND COORDINATED TO GET PARTIAL RWY LIGHTING; LANDED AND DEPARTED WITH SUCCESSFUL EMS MISSION.
Synopsis
C414A LIFEGUARD FLT ARRIVED AT DEST ARPT TO FIND IT CLOSED UNTIL 5 HRS LATER. RPTR PLT WAS ABLE TO COM WITH UNICOM AND COORDINATED TO GET PARTIAL RWY LIGHTING; LANDED AND DEPARTED WITH SUCCESSFUL EMS MISSION.
Narrative
DEPARTED ZZZ XA30 AUG/XA/97 ON IFR FLT PLAN. CANCELED IFR AT APPROX XB35 LCL; AUG/XA/97 WITHIN 40 NM OF XXX ARPT. CALLED XXX ON CTAF; NO RESPONSE ON PLT CTLED LIGHTING. FOLLOWING SECOND CALL; RESPONSE FROM ARPT MAINT (IDENTED SELF) THAT ARPT IS CLOSED UNTIL XG00 LCL. AS WE (OUR COMPANY; AN AIR AMBULANCE SVC) HAD ON AT LEAST 1 OCCASION BEFORE; BEEN AUTH TO LAND ON TXWYS; I RELATED THIS AUTH; ADDING THAT I WAS AN AMBULANCE; USING LIFEGUARD CALL SIGN. (I HAD; ON BOARD; A NEO-NATALOGY TRANSPORT TEAM WITH A TRANSPORT ISOLETTE INCUBATOR. THE TEAM'S PURPOSE IS TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL; AND IN THIS CASE; STABILIZE THE 2-DAY OLD; 4 WK PREMIE IN ORDER TO TRANSPORT HER FOR SPECIALIZED CARE). AS IT WOULD MEAN A GND AMBULANCE DRIVE IN EXCESS OF 50 MINS IF THEY'D BE REQUIRED TO MEET THE PLANE AT THE NEAREST ALTERNATE; I AGAIN STATED THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO LAND AT ARPT. ASKED IF I COULD LAND ON THE S 4000 FT AND TURN OFF AT TXWY X. I REPLIED THAT I COULD. ON DOWNWIND (L TFC) ABEAM MIDFIELD; I OBSERVED THE RWY LIGHTS COME ON (4000 FT OF RWY 35). MADE NORMAL LNDG. GND AMBULANCE WAS WAITING XB48 LCL. NEO-NAT TEAM REQUIRED APPROX 1 HR 15 MINS AT HOSPITAL TO STABILIZE AND PREP PATIENT. GND TRANSPORT APPROX 25 MINS EACH WAY. DEPARTED XXX AT XC54 LCL AUG/XA/97. NO DELAYS AT ANY TIME. GND PERSONNEL COURTEOUS AND HELPFUL. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE 'CLOSED ARPT' SURPRISE HAD I DONE THE SIMPLE TASK OF CHKING NOTAMS; BUT BECAME FRUSTRATED BY BEING PUT ON HOLD WHEN CALLING FSS AND ALSO HAVING DUAT DISCONNECT 4 TIMES FOR UNEXPLAINED REASON.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.