PA38 CPR ACFT INFLT FOR PLT CHK MADE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG DUE TO INCREASING OIL TEMP. THE ARPT WAS NOTAMED TO BE CLOSED CERTAIN HRS AND PLT LANDED PRIOR TO CLOSURE; BUT HAD COM PROB WITH UNICOM.

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DURING A PVT PLT FLT TEST; THE APPLICANT NOTICED INCREASING OIL TEMP WHICH HE BELIEVED TO BE UNUSUAL. HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT THE AUBURN-DEKALB ARPT TO INVESTIGATE. THE LNDG AT THIS ARPT WAS UNEXPECTED; ALTHOUGH THE APPLICANT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD; AND HAD IT IN SIGHT WITHIN EASY GLIDING DISTANCE. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. AS THE EXAMINER CONDUCTING THE TEST; I KNEW THAT THE FIELD WAS TO CLOSE BRIEFLY FOR LAUNCHING BALLOONS. I FELT SURE THAT WE WOULD BE ON THE GND BEFORE THE CLOSING TIME. HOWEVER; THE APPLICANT DID NOT KNOW THE SIT; SINCE HE HAD NO PREVIOUS PLAN TO USE THIS ARPT. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS STOPPED ON A TXWY; GND SVC PEOPLE CAME OUT IN A JEEP TO TELL US THE FIELD WAS CLOSING. THEY DID SAY THEY THOUGHT WE MADE IT IN TIME. AFTER DETERMINING THE ACFT WAS IN FACT ALL RIGHT; WE WAITED UNTIL THE FIELD WAS ANNOUNCED OPEN; THEN TOOK OFF. DURING OUR DSCNT; THE APPLICANT CORRECTLY REQUESTED ARPT ADVISORY AND ANNOUNCED HIS POS. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I INVESTIGATED AFTER LNDG; AND FOUND THAT ALL THE GND PERSONNEL WERE USING PORTABLE RADIOS WHICH WERE PROGRAMMED WITH SINGLE DIGIT FREQS -- FOR INSTANCE; 'CHANNEL 1;2;3;' ETC. AFTER TRYING ONE; A LINE PERSON FOUND THAT THE UNICOM ADVISORIES ABOUT CLOSING THE FIELD HAD BEEN GIVEN ON A WRONG FREQ; AND NOBODY WAS OPERATING THE USUAL RADIO IN THE ARPT OFFICE. AS A RESULT; THE PLT IN A POSSIBLE EMER HAD NO SUCCESS IN GETTING ARPT INFO WHICH WAS AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION; NO MARKINGS WERE PRESENT ON THE RWY SURFACE TO INDICATE THAT IT WAS CLOSED; AND THE BALLOONS TO BE LAUNCHED WERE ALL LYING FLAT ON THE GND PRIOR TO INFLATION; SO THEY WERE NOT VISIBLE TO THE PLT DOING AN APCH FROM THE OTHER END OF THE FIELD. I SUGGEST THAT PLTS STUDY NOTAMS FOR ALL NEARBY ARPTS; EVEN UNLIKELY ALTERNATES; TO BE AWARE OF UNUSUAL SITS; IN CASE AN EMER OCCURS. IN ADDITION; IF PORTABLE RADIOS ARE USED -- ESPECIALLY MULTIPLE ONES; THEY MUST BE PROGRAMMED TO USE THE CORRECT FREQ IF IT IS INTENDED THAT THEY SUBSTITUTE FOR A UNICOM. EVEN FOR AN EXPERIENCED PLT; A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG CAN BE STRESSFUL. I ADMIT THAT DURING THE DSCNT AND LNDG; I DID NOT CHK THE TIME TO SEE IF THE ARPT WAS ALREADY CLOSED. I JUST MADE SURE WE LANDED WELL CLR OF THE OTHER ACTIVITY. IN FACT; LINEMEN TOLD US THAT A SUPVR ON THE FIELD HAD NOT SEEN US LAND; AND THEY WERE ONLY WORRIED ABOUT US CAUSING A HAZARD BY TAKING OFF TOO SOON. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF RWY X'S WERE USED; EVEN FOR SHORT-TERM CLOSING OF THE ARPT. IF IT IS USED UNEXPECTEDLY; AS IN THIS SIT; AT LEAST THE PLT WOULD HAVE A VISUAL INDICATION NOT TO LAND. WHEN I ASKED GND PERSONNEL; THEY WERE UNSURE OF THE TIMES FOR OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE ARPT. EVEN SHORT-TIME CLOSING AT AN ARPT SHOULD HAVE GND MARKINGS ON RWYS.