UNAUTH TURF RWY LNDG BY A PA28-161 TRAINING FLT AT A CLOSED ARPT; 7Y7; MN.
Synopsis
UNAUTH TURF RWY LNDG BY A PA28-161 TRAINING FLT AT A CLOSED ARPT; 7Y7; MN.
Narrative
THE FLT WAS PLANNED AS A LCL FLT WITHIN 20 MI OF THE ORIGINATION ARPT. I DID NOT CALL FLT SVC. I DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN. I USUALLY CALL FLT SVC BEFORE FLTS. HOWEVER; I DID NOT ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY; PLANNING TO STAY SO CLOSE TO HOME. WE WERE PRACTICING SIMULATED ENG FAILURES IN THE VICINITY OF A SMALL LCL ARPT WITH A TURF RWY. BEFORE CONDUCTING THE SIMULATED ENG FAILURE PRACTICE; I ANNOUNCED OUR POS AND INTENTION OVER THE CTAF. THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE AREA OF THE ARPT. AFTER COMPLETING THE MANEUVER (SIMULATED ENG OUT APCH FOR LNDG); WE PERFORMED A GAR AT APPROX 40 FT AGL. I ANNOUNCED OUR GAR ON THE CTAF. ON CLBOUT; MY PAX AND I DISCUSSED SOFT FIELD LNDG AND TKOF TECHNIQUE. HE HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED A LNDG ON A TURF RWY. I ASKED IF HE WOULD LIKE TO LAND ON THE TURF FIELD. HE AGREED AND WE DECIDED TO LAND AT THE ARPT. I CHKED THE AFD FOR INFO ON THE ARPT; SPECIFICALLY LOOKING FOR ARPT CLOSURE INFO. I FOUND NONE. THE FIELD APPEARED IN GOOD CONDITION UPON INSPECTION DURING THE GAR; AND CONCLUDED THAT IT WOULD BE ALRIGHT TO PERFORM A LNDG. AS STATED ABOVE; I DID NOT CALL FLT SVC TO CHK NOTAMS. WE LANDED ON THE FIELD (WHICH WAS IN GOOD CONDITION) AND ANNOUNCED A TAXI-BACK OVER THE CTAF. AT THAT TIME; AN UNIDENTIFIED MAN CALLED OVER THE CTAF; PRESUMABLY FROM THE FIELD; AND STATED; 'DID YOU KNOW THE ARPT IS CLOSED?' I RESPONDED THAT I WAS NOT AND THAT WE HAD NOT CALLED FLT SVC FOR NOTAMS. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. THE UNIDENTIFIED CALLER STATED; 'OK.' WE COMPLETED THE TAXI-BACK; TURNED FOR DEP; AND I ANNOUNCED OVER THE CTAF OUR DEP AND ANOTHER APOLOGY FOR THE TROUBLE. WE DEPARTED THE AREA AND RETURNED TO OUR HOME ARPT WITHOUT INCIDENT. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS PROB IF I HAD CALLED FLT SVC BEFORE DECIDING TO LAND AT THE ARPT. I DID CHK FOR CLOSURE INFO IN THE AFD; BUT DID NOT THINK TO CALL FLT SVC FOR INFO. IN THE EVENT I HAD CALLED FLT SVC; I STILL MIGHT HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE PROB AS OUR LNDG AT THE TURF FIELD ARPT WAS NOT PLANNED. I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE NOTAM INFO FOR THAT ARPT FROM THE PREFLT BRIEFING. HOWEVER; I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FROM THE AIR. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL CALL FLT SVC; BEFORE EVERY FLT; REGARDLESS OF THE NATURE OF THE FLT. IN ADDITION; I WILL CALL FLT SVC FROM THE AIR TO CHK NOTAMS BEFORE DECIDING ON A WHIM TO LAND AT AN ARPT NOT PLANNED AS PART OF THE FLT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.