Narrative:

Deteriorating WX forced change in flight destination and required landing. I called unicom 122.8 for airport advisories about 4-5 mi out. No answer. I called again. I landed on longest runway, 19. Once on the ground, I was asked by a female voice if I didn't hear unicom. The runway 19 was closed. I told her no one responded to my request for airport advisory for landing. I talked with her in person and found out she had not manned the unicom few mins earlier. Airport has hired 3 other full-time employees who are not available to answer unicom, even though they are on premises at all times! No safety was compromised. Runway 19 had been under repair for lighting. There was no other aircraft activity in the vicinity. I did not notice the 'X' on runway between chevrons and runway #south. I called and reported downwind pattern, wide and again unicom did not respond. The yellow 'X' fades into the chevrons. Cause of 'problem:' deteriorating WX and need to land overrode my non-observation of runway marking for 'X.' also, the currently closed runway 19 is the normally used one and occasional use of this airport made it the expected runway. Other cause of 'problem:' no response from unicom after 2 attempts. (Airport has several full-time office people.) further, no other aircraft were broadcasting activities. The 'X' blends with the chevron markings. Callback conversation by phone with wvi revealed the following: NOTAM was issued the beginning of 5/91 to oak FSS and mry approach. Airport manager says they are shortstaffed and at times are all out on the field. (Unable to contact reporter.)

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DIVERTS WX, LANDS ON CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: DETERIORATING WX FORCED CHANGE IN FLT DEST AND REQUIRED LNDG. I CALLED UNICOM 122.8 FOR ARPT ADVISORIES ABOUT 4-5 MI OUT. NO ANSWER. I CALLED AGAIN. I LANDED ON LONGEST RWY, 19. ONCE ON THE GND, I WAS ASKED BY A FEMALE VOICE IF I DIDN'T HEAR UNICOM. THE RWY 19 WAS CLOSED. I TOLD HER NO ONE RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST FOR ARPT ADVISORY FOR LNDG. I TALKED WITH HER IN PERSON AND FOUND OUT SHE HAD NOT MANNED THE UNICOM FEW MINS EARLIER. ARPT HAS HIRED 3 OTHER FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO ANSWER UNICOM, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ON PREMISES AT ALL TIMES! NO SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED. RWY 19 HAD BEEN UNDER REPAIR FOR LIGHTING. THERE WAS NO OTHER ACFT ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY. I DID NOT NOTICE THE 'X' ON RWY BTWN CHEVRONS AND RWY #S. I CALLED AND RPTED DOWNWIND PATTERN, WIDE AND AGAIN UNICOM DID NOT RESPOND. THE YELLOW 'X' FADES INTO THE CHEVRONS. CAUSE OF 'PROB:' DETERIORATING WX AND NEED TO LAND OVERRODE MY NON-OBSERVATION OF RWY MARKING FOR 'X.' ALSO, THE CURRENTLY CLOSED RWY 19 IS THE NORMALLY USED ONE AND OCCASIONAL USE OF THIS ARPT MADE IT THE EXPECTED RWY. OTHER CAUSE OF 'PROB:' NO RESPONSE FROM UNICOM AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS. (ARPT HAS SEVERAL FULL-TIME OFFICE PEOPLE.) FURTHER, NO OTHER ACFT WERE BROADCASTING ACTIVITIES. THE 'X' BLENDS WITH THE CHEVRON MARKINGS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION BY PHONE WITH WVI REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: NOTAM WAS ISSUED THE BEGINNING OF 5/91 TO OAK FSS AND MRY APCH. ARPT MGR SAYS THEY ARE SHORTSTAFFED AND AT TIMES ARE ALL OUT ON THE FIELD. (UNABLE TO CONTACT RPTR.)

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.