Narrative:

Air ambulance flight, patient to pick up at lagrande, or. WX clear everywhere. FSS briefer made statement 'you won't be using runway 12-30.' he assumed I was aware of NOTAM closing runway for june for patching. I was aware of the NOTAM on displaced threshold at same location. Familiarity breeds error. I visually could see full length of runway with no problems, people or potential accident -- runway was patched. Runway lights and VASI working. No equipment on runway. I landed to pick up patient taxied full length to check runway and departed for boise. There was no good reason to have the runway notamed closed during the period I was at lagrande. I landed at sff and called the FSS and got bom NOTAMS when I returned. We talked about error. Again, 'familiarity does breed error.' because the runway was ok and there was still enough natural light to know for sure there was no problem with the runway, no harm or damage was done. I would wonder if maybe runway lights and VASI should be deactivated when runways are closed?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS PLT PERFORMS UNAUTH LNDG TKOF ON CLOSED RWY AT A NON TWR ARPT IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: AIR AMBULANCE FLT, PATIENT TO PICK UP AT LAGRANDE, OR. WX CLR EVERYWHERE. FSS BRIEFER MADE STATEMENT 'YOU WON'T BE USING RWY 12-30.' HE ASSUMED I WAS AWARE OF NOTAM CLOSING RWY FOR JUNE FOR PATCHING. I WAS AWARE OF THE NOTAM ON DISPLACED THRESHOLD AT SAME LOCATION. FAMILIARITY BREEDS ERROR. I VISUALLY COULD SEE FULL LENGTH OF RWY WITH NO PROBS, PEOPLE OR POTENTIAL ACCIDENT -- RWY WAS PATCHED. RWY LIGHTS AND VASI WORKING. NO EQUIP ON RWY. I LANDED TO PICK UP PATIENT TAXIED FULL LENGTH TO CHK RWY AND DEPARTED FOR BOISE. THERE WAS NO GOOD REASON TO HAVE THE RWY NOTAMED CLOSED DURING THE PERIOD I WAS AT LAGRANDE. I LANDED AT SFF AND CALLED THE FSS AND GOT BOM NOTAMS WHEN I RETURNED. WE TALKED ABOUT ERROR. AGAIN, 'FAMILIARITY DOES BREED ERROR.' BECAUSE THE RWY WAS OK AND THERE WAS STILL ENOUGH NATURAL LIGHT TO KNOW FOR SURE THERE WAS NO PROB WITH THE RWY, NO HARM OR DAMAGE WAS DONE. I WOULD WONDER IF MAYBE RWY LIGHTS AND VASI SHOULD BE DEACTIVATED WHEN RWYS ARE CLOSED?

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.