Narrative:

Checked WX with buffalo FSS for flight from niagara falls (iag) ny, to st catherines, ontario, no NOTAMS given before crossing the niagara river we announced our intentions on 119.00. St catherines is a control zone in operation XXF00-xxoo according to the current detroit sectional. We over flew the airport, midfield at 2500 MSL to the north and proceeded to crosswind, downwind base and final and did a touch and go. Intentions broadcast on each leg. On the second downwind leg the runway lights went out. There is no *left here but I clicked the microphone 5 times then 7 times. This brought a response from the tower to tune 123.45 which I did. Tower informed me I was in violation of their airspace and touch and goes were illegal, also that the tower was no longer in operation. He then turned runway lights back on and cleared us for a touch and go. My response was to confirm that the control zone operated from XF00-XX00 per current detroit sectional and if touch and goes were illegal we would proceed back to niagara, and that I would certainly pass this information along to other CFI's at niagara. Upon landing at niagara, tower informed me that st catherines had called to advise of the new frequency (123.45) and touch and goes are illegal unless cleared by customs and suggested low approachs with prior permission. In the past we have used this airport for touch and goes during the day with tower clearance and never cleared it with customs. Also at night time, by announcing our intentions on the tower frequency. I have to question if someone was in the tower why they did not question our intentions sooner than the second pattern around the field. We were certainly visible with navigation, anti-collision and landing lights all working at the time. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter states completely astounded by these procedures. No response from tower while in pattern, then turning off runway lights and announcing tower closed. Reporter has no idea who made the comments. Reporter noticed new sectional chart has a note reference FSS to contact and airport pictured as uncontrolled, so new procedures are in effect. Intends to follow up with FAA and get canadian customs information. Reporter could find no NOTAM information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR WITH SPI PRACTICING TOUCH AND GOES. RWY LIGHTS TURNED OUT AND INFORMED TOUCH AND GO NOT AUTHORIZED UNLESS CLRED BY CUSTOMS.

Narrative: CHKED WX WITH BUFFALO FSS FOR FLT FROM NIAGARA FALLS (IAG) NY, TO ST CATHERINES, ONTARIO, NO NOTAMS GIVEN BEFORE XING THE NIAGARA RIVER WE ANNOUNCED OUR INTENTIONS ON 119.00. ST CATHERINES IS A CTL ZONE IN OP XXF00-XXOO ACCORDING TO THE CURRENT DETROIT SECTIONAL. WE OVER FLEW THE ARPT, MIDFIELD AT 2500 MSL TO THE N AND PROCEEDED TO XWIND, DOWNWIND BASE AND FINAL AND DID A TOUCH AND GO. INTENTIONS BROADCAST ON EACH LEG. ON THE SECOND DOWNWIND LEG THE RWY LIGHTS WENT OUT. THERE IS NO *L HERE BUT I CLICKED THE MICROPHONE 5 TIMES THEN 7 TIMES. THIS BROUGHT A RESPONSE FROM THE TWR TO TUNE 123.45 WHICH I DID. TWR INFORMED ME I WAS IN VIOLATION OF THEIR AIRSPACE AND TOUCH AND GOES WERE ILLEGAL, ALSO THAT THE TWR WAS NO LONGER IN OP. HE THEN TURNED RWY LIGHTS BACK ON AND CLRED US FOR A TOUCH AND GO. MY RESPONSE WAS TO CONFIRM THAT THE CTL ZONE OPERATED FROM XF00-XX00 PER CURRENT DETROIT SECTIONAL AND IF TOUCH AND GOES WERE ILLEGAL WE WOULD PROCEED BACK TO NIAGARA, AND THAT I WOULD CERTAINLY PASS THIS INFO ALONG TO OTHER CFI'S AT NIAGARA. UPON LNDG AT NIAGARA, TWR INFORMED ME THAT ST CATHERINES HAD CALLED TO ADVISE OF THE NEW FREQ (123.45) AND TOUCH AND GOES ARE ILLEGAL UNLESS CLRED BY CUSTOMS AND SUGGESTED LOW APCHS WITH PRIOR PERMISSION. IN THE PAST WE HAVE USED THIS ARPT FOR TOUCH AND GOES DURING THE DAY WITH TWR CLRNC AND NEVER CLRED IT WITH CUSTOMS. ALSO AT NIGHT TIME, BY ANNOUNCING OUR INTENTIONS ON THE TWR FREQ. I HAVE TO QUESTION IF SOMEONE WAS IN THE TWR WHY THEY DID NOT QUESTION OUR INTENTIONS SOONER THAN THE SECOND PATTERN AROUND THE FIELD. WE WERE CERTAINLY VISIBLE WITH NAV, ANTI-COLLISION AND LNDG LIGHTS ALL WORKING AT THE TIME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES COMPLETELY ASTOUNDED BY THESE PROCS. NO RESPONSE FROM TWR WHILE IN PATTERN, THEN TURNING OFF RWY LIGHTS AND ANNOUNCING TWR CLOSED. RPTR HAS NO IDEA WHO MADE THE COMMENTS. RPTR NOTICED NEW SECTIONAL CHART HAS A NOTE REF FSS TO CONTACT AND ARPT PICTURED AS UNCTLED, SO NEW PROCS ARE IN EFFECT. INTENDS TO FOLLOW UP WITH FAA AND GET CANADIAN CUSTOMS INFO. RPTR COULD FIND NO NOTAM INFO.

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.