Unauthorized approach and landing at a private airport on a closed runway.

Attributes
ACN	185996
Time
Date	199108
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 058
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	185996
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer other personnel other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At calistoga, ca, aircraft were departing and landing as usual. I called unicom but there was no response. I tried to contact 1 of the glider towplanes on unicom frequency, but no response. I entered the traffic pattern and landed without incident. As I was tying down my aircraft, someone walked up and asked if a realized the airport was closed, 'no', I said. I looked at the runway and noticed an 'X' barely visible due to gravel and growing grass on the runway. My suggestion is if the airport is private and in use, paint an 'right' for restr or if it is closed completely paint a visible 'X' or tear out the runway completely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED APCH AND LNDG AT A PRIVATE ARPT ON A CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: AT CALISTOGA, CA, ACFT WERE DEPARTING AND LNDG AS USUAL. I CALLED UNICOM BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I TRIED TO CONTACT 1 OF THE GLIDER TOWPLANES ON UNICOM FREQ, BUT NO RESPONSE. I ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AS I WAS TYING DOWN MY ACFT, SOMEONE WALKED UP AND ASKED IF A REALIZED THE ARPT WAS CLOSED, 'NO', I SAID. I LOOKED AT THE RWY AND NOTICED AN 'X' BARELY VISIBLE DUE TO GRAVEL AND GROWING GRASS ON THE RWY. MY SUGGESTION IS IF THE ARPT IS PRIVATE AND IN USE, PAINT AN 'R' FOR RESTR OR IF IT IS CLOSED COMPLETELY PAINT A VISIBLE 'X' OR TEAR OUT THE RWY COMPLETELY.

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.