Narrative:

En route dfw to sna, we advised company dispatch of our ETA at sna of XA10 local. Dispatch sent ACARS message to us indicating they were in contact with sna tower. We subsequently updated ETA of XA07 PST. Approach control advised us that sna tower would close approximately XX03 PST. I advised captain not to land with tower closed, according to my company airport charts. Captain, and jumpseat rider, another captain, said they believed that restriction had been recently removed. Captain elected to land at sna. An uneventful landing was made. During this final phase of flight, I was very busy with talking to ATC, accomplishing descent, and before landing checklists, and reprogramming FMS after it 'dumped' our current route. The captain was flying, and talking with company at sna on radio. Also, captain was discussing this situation with approach control and the jumpseating company captain. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said that, although tower had agreed to remain open until XX15, they arbitrarily closed at XX03. He also said that his company's manual states that landing at sna after the tower is closed is not authorized while it is authorized at other airports, sba for example. This is probably because ramp personnel at sna do not have a good view of the surrounding airspace for TA's. He added that he did make all required CTAF callouts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT LANDED SNA AFTER THE CTL TWR HAD CLOSED.

Narrative: ENRTE DFW TO SNA, WE ADVISED COMPANY DISPATCH OF OUR ETA AT SNA OF XA10 LCL. DISPATCH SENT ACARS MESSAGE TO US INDICATING THEY WERE IN CONTACT WITH SNA TWR. WE SUBSEQUENTLY UPDATED ETA OF XA07 PST. APCH CTL ADVISED US THAT SNA TWR WOULD CLOSE APPROX XX03 PST. I ADVISED CAPT NOT TO LAND WITH TWR CLOSED, ACCORDING TO MY COMPANY ARPT CHARTS. CAPT, AND JUMPSEAT RIDER, ANOTHER CAPT, SAID THEY BELIEVED THAT RESTRICTION HAD BEEN RECENTLY REMOVED. CAPT ELECTED TO LAND AT SNA. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE. DURING THIS FINAL PHASE OF FLT, I WAS VERY BUSY WITH TALKING TO ATC, ACCOMPLISHING DSCNT, AND BEFORE LNDG CHKLISTS, AND REPROGRAMMING FMS AFTER IT 'DUMPED' OUR CURRENT RTE. THE CAPT WAS FLYING, AND TALKING WITH COMPANY AT SNA ON RADIO. ALSO, CAPT WAS DISCUSSING THIS SIT WITH APCH CTL AND THE JUMPSEATING COMPANY CAPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THAT, ALTHOUGH TWR HAD AGREED TO REMAIN OPEN UNTIL XX15, THEY ARBITRARILY CLOSED AT XX03. HE ALSO SAID THAT HIS COMPANY'S MANUAL STATES THAT LNDG AT SNA AFTER THE TWR IS CLOSED IS NOT AUTHORIZED WHILE IT IS AUTHORIZED AT OTHER ARPTS, SBA FOR EXAMPLE. THIS IS PROBABLY BECAUSE RAMP PERSONNEL AT SNA DO NOT HAVE A GOOD VIEW OF THE SURROUNDING AIRSPACE FOR TA'S. HE ADDED THAT HE DID MAKE ALL REQUIRED CTAF CALLOUTS.

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.