ZLC Supervisor described a confused Visual Approach event involving traffic inbound to HVR; noting the clearance was issued after the airport was NOTAMED closed; adding local procedures were not followed.
Synopsis
ZLC Supervisor described a confused Visual Approach event involving traffic inbound to HVR; noting the clearance was issued after the airport was NOTAMED closed; adding local procedures were not followed.
Narrative
I received a call from Prescott FSS indicating they had a cancellation on Aircraft X at HVR and they informed me that the airport was closed. I went down to the controller on R19 and asked them what happened. The controller said he gave the aircraft the weather at HVR and asked if he had the NOTAMS; the pilot replied 'I have the current NOTAMS and weather for HVR'. Four minutes later the aircraft reported HVR in sight and the controller cleared him for a visual approach to HVR. The controller told me after that he did not verify the NOTAMS after the pilot said he had the current NOTAMS and weather. I listened to the tapes after and verified what the controller told me and the pilot did say he had current NOTAMS and weather. My expectation is all controllers give complete recorded briefings and they are responsible for issuing NOTAMS especially pertinent NOTAMS like closed or unsafe runway conditions; not just verifying the pilot as the NOTAMS. A recommendation may be to have an R & I or hot sheet review expectations on NOTAMS and position recorded briefings.
Second reporter narrative
While I was investigating the incident of [an aircraft] being cleared visual approach to a closed runway at HVR; I noticed that a recorded position relief briefing did not take place. It is management's expectation and requirement that all position relief briefings be thorough; complete and recorded. A NOTAM was issued at HVR regarding the closure. The Area A controllers heard the NOTAM. Some controllers even commented that they knew about the NOTAM and showed it in ERIDS. The controller asked the pilot of [the aircraft] if they had the current weather and NOTAMs. The pilot said yes; I have current NOTAMs and weather at HVR. Then the controller gave pilot's discretion descent to 090. [The aircraft] reported the airport in sight. The controller cleared [the aircraft] for a visual approach. Prescott AFSS called with an IFR cancellation and informed us that the HVR airport was closed. I informed the chief pilot that the aircraft in question had landed on a closed runway. I told him I was calling for a couple of reasons. One because we could not inform the pilot of our filing. Two because we found that when we first went to the ICAO system a couple of years ago some of our controllers did not know that AD closed meant that the airport and all runways are closed. The Chief Pilot stated that he talked to the pilot and he stated that he got the NOTAMs before he departed BIL (Billings; MT) and once again at GTF (Great Falls; MT). However; when the pilot checked the NOTAMs at GTF he said that the HVR AD CLSD NOTAM was not there. We have taken a random sampling of employees and validated what we suspected. The following questions were asked: 1. Do you ask pilots; 'Do you have the current weather and NOTAMs?'' 2. When working shifts do you always record your position relief briefings? As expected we do have some issues and most employees answered that they do ask about current WX & NOTAMs; do NOT record Position Relief Briefings. We are recommending a Facility Audit of Position Relief Briefings.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.