Light single engine aircraft lands after tower closure on closed runway.

Attributes
ACN	120786
Time
Date	198907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 44 flight time total : 1565 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	120768
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I landed an small aircraft X at john wayne airport when it was closed. It was a local flight from meadow lark in huntington beach after XA00 pm local time, when the tower and control zone are not in effect. However, when I landed I was careful that the runway was clear, and the landing was routine. After reviewing the ATIS I realized that it did state that runway and txwys were closed due to construction. There was activity on the left runway but not the fight which I used although the runway lights were out. I also failed to check for NOTAMS due to the shortness of the flight. I'm experienced at landing on unlit surfaces and considered the airport uncontrolled. This was an error. I found out later that there was information posted on a bulletin board that I was unaware of.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT SINGLE ENGINE ACFT LANDS AFTER TWR CLOSURE ON CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: I LANDED AN SMA X AT JOHN WAYNE ARPT WHEN IT WAS CLOSED. IT WAS A LOCAL FLT FROM MEADOW LARK IN HUNTINGTON BEACH AFTER XA00 PM LOCAL TIME, WHEN THE TWR AND CTL ZONE ARE NOT IN EFFECT. HOWEVER, WHEN I LANDED I WAS CAREFUL THAT THE RWY WAS CLEAR, AND THE LNDG WAS ROUTINE. AFTER REVIEWING THE ATIS I REALIZED THAT IT DID STATE THAT RWY AND TXWYS WERE CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. THERE WAS ACTIVITY ON THE LEFT RWY BUT NOT THE FIGHT WHICH I USED ALTHOUGH THE RWY LIGHTS WERE OUT. I ALSO FAILED TO CHECK FOR NOTAMS DUE TO THE SHORTNESS OF THE FLT. I'M EXPERIENCED AT LNDG ON UNLIT SURFACES AND CONSIDERED THE ARPT UNCONTROLLED. THIS WAS AN ERROR. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THERE WAS INFO POSTED ON A BULLETIN BOARD THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.