Small aircraft in thunderstorms lands at closed airport.

Attributes
ACN	185198
Time
Date	199107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : saa
State Reference	WY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 700
ASRS Report	185198
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Due to thunderstorms in all quadrants of airport vicinity I felt it was necessary to land at shively field airport as it was not possible to continue our VFR flight to our destination of driggs, identification (U59). I was not familiar with the local mountainous terrain and do not believe I could have continued to another airport safely. Upon my final approach to shively field and after trying unsuccessfully to contact shively unicom, I noticed a faint outline of a yellow 'X' on threshold of runway 23. I felt that I was committed to land due to a fast approaching thunderstorm and continued and completed a safe landing. After arriving on the ramp I was approached by a contractor who said the airport was closed and asked me for my certificate #, which I gave him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA IN TSTMS LANDS AT CLOSED ARPT.

Narrative: DUE TO TSTMS IN ALL QUADRANTS OF ARPT VICINITY I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO LAND AT SHIVELY FIELD ARPT AS IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE OUR VFR FLT TO OUR DEST OF DRIGGS, ID (U59). I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND DO NOT BELIEVE I COULD HAVE CONTINUED TO ANOTHER ARPT SAFELY. UPON MY FINAL APCH TO SHIVELY FIELD AND AFTER TRYING UNSUCCESSFULLY TO CONTACT SHIVELY UNICOM, I NOTICED A FAINT OUTLINE OF A YELLOW 'X' ON THRESHOLD OF RWY 23. I FELT THAT I WAS COMMITTED TO LAND DUE TO A FAST APCHING TSTM AND CONTINUED AND COMPLETED A SAFE LNDG. AFTER ARRIVING ON THE RAMP I WAS APCHED BY A CONTRACTOR WHO SAID THE ARPT WAS CLOSED AND ASKED ME FOR MY CERTIFICATE #, WHICH I GAVE HIM.

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.