Narrative:

On an IFR flight from fl to mi, we were made aware through 'hiwas' and 'FSS' about a line of severe thunderstorms running in front of us, right on our flight path. Therefore, we decided to land at the nearest airport, which was athens, GA. After receiving the proper ATC clearance, we proceeded to land on runway 27. Local unicom told us that the threshold for runway 27 had been displaced (500 ft or 700 ft). On final, instead of the runway numbers, I saw an 'X,' and since I was thinking about the displaced threshold, I didn't even think about the real meaning of that 'X.' we went ahead and landed, and later realized that was a closed runway. I have known for many yrs what the 'X' means, but it just didn't register for some reason. We landed on '22' instead of '27.' personally, I think that I should have been more 'aware' of the entire landing phase. The compass was probably showing 220 degrees, but I didn't even look at it. I didn't make myself aware of the airport layout and of the obvious meaning of the 'X.' fortunately, the runway was in good shape, but it could have turned into an accident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG RWY APCH LNDG. LANDED ON CLOSED RWY. 'WHEN THE WX IS BAD AND PLANS GO AWRY, AND YOU CAN'T GET TO DEST ON YOUR VERY FIRST TRY, PLTS BEWARE! OF THAT ALTERNATE RTE, THAT IN YOUR ALTERNATE PLANNING, YOU DON'T SHOOT YOURSELF IN THE FOOT.'

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT FROM FL TO MI, WE WERE MADE AWARE THROUGH 'HIWAS' AND 'FSS' ABOUT A LINE OF SEVERE TSTMS RUNNING IN FRONT OF US, RIGHT ON OUR FLT PATH. THEREFORE, WE DECIDED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST ARPT, WHICH WAS ATHENS, GA. AFTER RECEIVING THE PROPER ATC CLRNC, WE PROCEEDED TO LAND ON RWY 27. LCL UNICOM TOLD US THAT THE THRESHOLD FOR RWY 27 HAD BEEN DISPLACED (500 FT OR 700 FT). ON FINAL, INSTEAD OF THE RWY NUMBERS, I SAW AN 'X,' AND SINCE I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD, I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THE REAL MEANING OF THAT 'X.' WE WENT AHEAD AND LANDED, AND LATER REALIZED THAT WAS A CLOSED RWY. I HAVE KNOWN FOR MANY YRS WHAT THE 'X' MEANS, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T REGISTER FOR SOME REASON. WE LANDED ON '22' INSTEAD OF '27.' PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE 'AWARE' OF THE ENTIRE LANDING PHASE. THE COMPASS WAS PROBABLY SHOWING 220 DEGS, BUT I DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT. I DIDN'T MAKE MYSELF AWARE OF THE ARPT LAYOUT AND OF THE OBVIOUS MEANING OF THE 'X.' FORTUNATELY, THE RWY WAS IN GOOD SHAPE, BUT IT COULD HAVE TURNED INTO AN ACCIDENT.

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.