PLT IN SMA ACFT DEPARTED Q68; THEN FLEW TO SBP; AND THEN TO O68. AT O68; THE UNICOM OPERATOR ADVISED THE ARPT WAS CLOSED UNTIL XA30 WITH NO REASON GIVEN FOR THE CLOSURE. THE PLT WAS LOW ON GAS; CIRCLED THE ARPT AND LANDED.

Date: 1998-08 · Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-landing-without-clearance

Synopsis

PLT IN SMA ACFT DEPARTED Q68; THEN FLEW TO SBP; AND THEN TO O68. AT O68; THE UNICOM OPERATOR ADVISED THE ARPT WAS CLOSED UNTIL XA30 WITH NO REASON GIVEN FOR THE CLOSURE. THE PLT WAS LOW ON GAS; CIRCLED THE ARPT AND LANDED.

Narrative

ON AUG/XA/98; I DEPARTED Q68; FLEW TO SBP; THEN ON TO O68. WHEN I REACHED MARIPOSA; I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE UNICOM OPERATOR THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED. I CIRCLED THE ARPT AND COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY THE ARPT WAS CLOSED AS THE RWY WAS IN GOOD CONDITION; THERE WAS NO ACTIVITY; NO PEOPLE; AND NO AIRPLANES; AND THE TXWY WAS CLR. I CALLED UNICOM FOR CLARIFICATION AND WAS TOLD ONLY THAT 'THE ARPT WAS CLOSED UNTIL XA30 AND THAT I WAS TO GO ON TO MERCED ON Q68 OR SOME OTHER ARPT. THESE 2 CLOSEST ARPTS WERE 1/2 HR AWAY.' I REPLIED THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MY FUEL LEVEL AND THE ACCURACY OF MY GAUGES; AND UNCOMFORTABLE WITH CONTINUING FLT. I HAD PLANNED TO REFUEL AT MARIPOSA. I MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER LNDG; I CHKED THE GAS AND DETERMINED I HAD 11 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING. PRIOR TO DEP EARLIER IN THE DAY; I HAD CALLED WX BRIEFING BUT DID NOT MENTION THAT I WOULD BE LNDG AT MARIPOSA TO REFUEL. I TOLD WX BRIEF THAT Q68; WHICH IS 20 MINS FROM O68; WAS MY FINAL DEST. 5 MINS AFTER I LANDED; A HELI LANDED WITH NO UNICOM RPT OF ARPT CLOSURE NOR ANY CONFRONTATION ABOUT LNDG. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: I COULD HAVE MENTIONED ALL LNDG SITES TO WX BRIEF. THE UNICOM OPERATOR SHOULD NOT BE DEMANDING SPECIFIC ACTIONS CONTRARY TO PLT'S JUDGEMENT OR DECISION IN A GIVEN SIT CONSIDERING INFO PROVIDED. ARPTS SHOULD NOT HAVE DOUBLE STANDARDS FOR CLOSURES -- OK FOR HELI BUT NOT FOR PLANE TO LAND. KEEP ARPT OPEN IF CONDITIONS OR ACTIVITY DO NOT PRESENTLY PROHIBIT SAFE LNDG.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.