Narrative:

This incident occurred at the end of a one day trip that originated and terminated at the home base (bdr). On departure, runway 11-29 was notamed closed with all other operations normal. The return IFR flight plan was filed. Bdr WX was marginal VFR with improvement forecasted, NOTAM status unchanged. This was important to me because we would be arriving after the bdr tower closed for the day. We were cleared for a visual approach to bdr at 4000 ft 10 mi southeast of bdr at approximately 1 hour after the bdr tower closed. New york approach was advised we would cancel our IFR with them when landing was assured. The last WX observation at bdr (over 1 hour old from bdr FSS) and other area reporting stations indicated the ILS runway 6 would be preferred with wind from the northwest at 7 KTS. We overflew runway 6 because the lights were dim while the lights on 11-29 were much brighter. After repeating the pilot controled lighting procedure we asked new york approach for the latest NOTAM status, and he said 'runway 11-29 still shows closed.' we cancelled out IFR flight plan and landed without incident on runway 6. Because 11-29 had lights and runway 6-24 lights were not working properly I called bdr FSS by phone to check their NOTAM status for bdr. I was shocked at what I heard: 11-29 runway lights on continuously at medium intensity, 6-24 lights OTS. FSS said they would notify new york approach immediately of bdr current status. Upon review two breakdowns in the system were uncovered. The first was already discussed. The second occurred in the cockpit. After talking to FSS I listened to the bdr ATIS. It reported the tower was closed and the current runway and lighting status was the same as the FSS specialist read to me on the phone. My sic checked with bdr unicom, oxc AWOS-3, hvn ATIS, and bdr FSS for WX information (no NOTAMS) and neglected to check bdr ATIS because 'no WX information would be available.' 2 wrongs never make a right. We all need good information to make good decisions. Might I suggest we all need current information to make the best decisions. Ask the FSS that is responsible for your destination airport for the current NOTAM status. They will volunteer this information only if it is obvious to them flight safety is involved. This should be accomplished in a timely manner if you are unable to establish current airport status via air/ground communication at your destination airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF CPR LTT ACFT HAD DIFFICULTY OBTAINING THE LATEST RWY AND RWY LIGHTING STATUS DURING AN 'AFTER HRS' LNDG WHEN THE TWR WAS CLOSED.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE END OF A ONE DAY TRIP THAT ORIGINATED AND TERMINATED AT THE HOME BASE (BDR). ON DEP, RWY 11-29 WAS NOTAMED CLOSED WITH ALL OTHER OPS NORMAL. THE RETURN IFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED. BDR WX WAS MARGINAL VFR WITH IMPROVEMENT FORECASTED, NOTAM STATUS UNCHANGED. THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE WE WOULD BE ARRIVING AFTER THE BDR TWR CLOSED FOR THE DAY. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO BDR AT 4000 FT 10 MI SE OF BDR AT APPROX 1 HR AFTER THE BDR TWR CLOSED. NEW YORK APCH WAS ADVISED WE WOULD CANCEL OUR IFR WITH THEM WHEN LNDG WAS ASSURED. THE LAST WX OBSERVATION AT BDR (OVER 1 HR OLD FROM BDR FSS) AND OTHER AREA RPTING STATIONS INDICATED THE ILS RWY 6 WOULD BE PREFERRED WITH WIND FROM THE NW AT 7 KTS. WE OVERFLEW RWY 6 BECAUSE THE LIGHTS WERE DIM WHILE THE LIGHTS ON 11-29 WERE MUCH BRIGHTER. AFTER REPEATING THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING PROC WE ASKED NEW YORK APCH FOR THE LATEST NOTAM STATUS, AND HE SAID 'RWY 11-29 STILL SHOWS CLOSED.' WE CANCELLED OUT IFR FLT PLAN AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT ON RWY 6. BECAUSE 11-29 HAD LIGHTS AND RWY 6-24 LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY I CALLED BDR FSS BY PHONE TO CHK THEIR NOTAM STATUS FOR BDR. I WAS SHOCKED AT WHAT I HEARD: 11-29 RWY LIGHTS ON CONTINUOUSLY AT MEDIUM INTENSITY, 6-24 LIGHTS OTS. FSS SAID THEY WOULD NOTIFY NEW YORK APCH IMMEDIATELY OF BDR CURRENT STATUS. UPON REVIEW TWO BREAKDOWNS IN THE SYS WERE UNCOVERED. THE FIRST WAS ALREADY DISCUSSED. THE SECOND OCCURRED IN THE COCKPIT. AFTER TALKING TO FSS I LISTENED TO THE BDR ATIS. IT RPTED THE TWR WAS CLOSED AND THE CURRENT RWY AND LIGHTING STATUS WAS THE SAME AS THE FSS SPECIALIST READ TO ME ON THE PHONE. MY SIC CHKED WITH BDR UNICOM, OXC AWOS-3, HVN ATIS, AND BDR FSS FOR WX INFO (NO NOTAMS) AND NEGLECTED TO CHK BDR ATIS BECAUSE 'NO WX INFO WOULD BE AVAILABLE.' 2 WRONGS NEVER MAKE A RIGHT. WE ALL NEED GOOD INFO TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. MIGHT I SUGGEST WE ALL NEED CURRENT INFO TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS. ASK THE FSS THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR DEST ARPT FOR THE CURRENT NOTAM STATUS. THEY WILL VOLUNTEER THIS INFO ONLY IF IT IS OBVIOUS TO THEM FLT SAFETY IS INVOLVED. THIS SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN A TIMELY MANNER IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CURRENT ARPT STATUS VIA AIR/GND COM AT YOUR DEST ARPT.

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.