Private pilot of small aircraft lands on uncontrolled airport closed for an airshow.

Attributes
ACN	267991
Time
Date	199404
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pgd
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	267991
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am reporting the following violation of far: flying my 1947 classic aeronca chief which has no 1994 electrical system or radio, today apr/sat/94 at :50 P.M. I landed at the normally uncontrolled port charlotte air field to find it closed by the FAA for the afternoon's airshow. I had assumed wrongly that the field would remain open until at least 1:00 as most shows do. Also, I had turned back the day before the show, because the golden knights were jumping then, too. While there was no other aircraft movement except an overhead twin, I know I violated by not preflting the correct closing time, and that I should not have gone in at all at that late time. As a result of my action, I am told to expect a letter of investigation, and follow-up suspension of my pilot license is likely. I have no record of prior violation in over 50 years of flying. I feel bad. My carrying a handheld radio to check the field status might have averted this violation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF SMA LANDS ON UNCTLED ARPT CLOSED FOR AN AIRSHOW.

Narrative: I AM RPTING THE FOLLOWING VIOLATION OF FAR: FLYING MY 1947 CLASSIC AERONCA CHIEF WHICH HAS NO 1994 ELECTRICAL SYS OR RADIO, TODAY APR/SAT/94 AT :50 P.M. I LANDED AT THE NORMALLY UNCTLED PORT CHARLOTTE AIR FIELD TO FIND IT CLOSED BY THE FAA FOR THE AFTERNOON'S AIRSHOW. I HAD ASSUMED WRONGLY THAT THE FIELD WOULD REMAIN OPEN UNTIL AT LEAST 1:00 AS MOST SHOWS DO. ALSO, I HAD TURNED BACK THE DAY BEFORE THE SHOW, BECAUSE THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS WERE JUMPING THEN, TOO. WHILE THERE WAS NO OTHER ACFT MOVEMENT EXCEPT AN OVERHEAD TWIN, I KNOW I VIOLATED BY NOT PREFLTING THE CORRECT CLOSING TIME, AND THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE IN AT ALL AT THAT LATE TIME. AS A RESULT OF MY ACTION, I AM TOLD TO EXPECT A LETTER OF INVESTIGATION, AND FOLLOW-UP SUSPENSION OF MY PLT LICENSE IS LIKELY. I HAVE NO RECORD OF PRIOR VIOLATION IN OVER 50 YEARS OF FLYING. I FEEL BAD. MY CARRYING A HANDHELD RADIO TO CHK THE FIELD STATUS MIGHT HAVE AVERTED THIS VIOLATION.

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.