An ultralight pilot landed at a closed airport.

Attributes
ACN	278523
Time
Date	199407
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : c59
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Ultralight
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 95 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	278523
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

This was a cross country flight from lafayette, in, to oshkosh, wi, with planned stops at kankakee, il, de kalb, il, and watertown, wi. While on the leg de kalb to watertown, I experienced some unexpected headwinds and, because of the 5 gallon fuel capacity, a gas stop was unavoidable. The lake lawn airport at delavan, wi, seemed the closest alternate, so I landed and was then informed that the airport was closed until XX00. Departure time from lafayette, in, was XA00. Before departure I had called flight service and telling the briefer my intended stops, he replied saying that there were no NOTAMS. As a precaution against repeating this mistake, I feel I should ask the briefer for NOTAMS on any airports that could be used as alternates, asking about them by name.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ULTRALIGHT PLT LANDED AT A CLOSED ARPT.

Narrative: THIS WAS A XCOUNTRY FLT FROM LAFAYETTE, IN, TO OSHKOSH, WI, WITH PLANNED STOPS AT KANKAKEE, IL, DE KALB, IL, AND WATERTOWN, WI. WHILE ON THE LEG DE KALB TO WATERTOWN, I EXPERIENCED SOME UNEXPECTED HEADWINDS AND, BECAUSE OF THE 5 GALLON FUEL CAPACITY, A GAS STOP WAS UNAVOIDABLE. THE LAKE LAWN ARPT AT DELAVAN, WI, SEEMED THE CLOSEST ALTERNATE, SO I LANDED AND WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED UNTIL XX00. DEP TIME FROM LAFAYETTE, IN, WAS XA00. BEFORE DEP I HAD CALLED FLT SVC AND TELLING THE BRIEFER MY INTENDED STOPS, HE REPLIED SAYING THAT THERE WERE NO NOTAMS. AS A PRECAUTION AGAINST REPEATING THIS MISTAKE, I FEEL I SHOULD ASK THE BRIEFER FOR NOTAMS ON ANY ARPTS THAT COULD BE USED AS ALTERNATES, ASKING ABOUT THEM BY NAME.

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.