Narrative:

At approximately XA30 pm sep/wed/95 I departed lbb for an instrument competency flight, with a cfii mei flight instructor. WX was VFR. I did not call for a WX briefing or NOTAMS. I notified lubbock clearance delivery that we would fly VFR to crosbyton municipal (8f3) for an instrument approach, then return to lubbock for further approachs. When we arrived near 8f3, lubbock departure changed us to advisory frequency. I announced our position and intentions and ultimately landed without incident on runway 35. When we reached the departure end (the beginning of runway 17) we saw an 'X' at the beginning of runway 17. We then taxied back to runway 35 and departed. It became clear that nearly all of the 'X' on runway 35 had either blown off the runway or had been removed. It was not visible from the air, even on short final to runway 35. The runway apparently was being paved. There was fairly fresh asphalt, no pot holes, and an entirely smooth runway, and an uneventful landing and takeoff. There was no equipment or personnel on the runway. This incident occurred because I did not call WX brief prior to my flight to obtain NOTAMS. I addition, the absence of a visible 'X' on runway 35 at 8f3 added to the problem. Further, no response on CTAF/unicom 122.8, so from the air on my instrument approach, I did not know the runway was closed. On future flts, my plan will be to obtain briefings to all airports of intended landing (even if VFR and even if the airport is familiar). If no response at uncontrolled airports on CTAF/unicom, overfly the airport and inspect all runways prior to landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT FAILED TO OBTAIN A STANDARD FSS WX BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEP. AFTER LNDG AT A DISTANT ARPT, PLT AND INSTRUCTOR PLT REALIZED RWY WAS CLOSED.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA30 PM SEP/WED/95 I DEPARTED LBB FOR AN INST COMPETENCY FLT, WITH A CFII MEI FLT INSTRUCTOR. WX WAS VFR. I DID NOT CALL FOR A WX BRIEFING OR NOTAMS. I NOTIFIED LUBBOCK CLRNC DELIVERY THAT WE WOULD FLY VFR TO CROSBYTON MUNI (8F3) FOR AN INST APCH, THEN RETURN TO LUBBOCK FOR FURTHER APCHS. WHEN WE ARRIVED NEAR 8F3, LUBBOCK DEP CHANGED US TO ADVISORY FREQ. I ANNOUNCED OUR POS AND INTENTIONS AND ULTIMATELY LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT ON RWY 35. WHEN WE REACHED THE DEP END (THE BEGINNING OF RWY 17) WE SAW AN 'X' AT THE BEGINNING OF RWY 17. WE THEN TAXIED BACK TO RWY 35 AND DEPARTED. IT BECAME CLR THAT NEARLY ALL OF THE 'X' ON RWY 35 HAD EITHER BLOWN OFF THE RWY OR HAD BEEN REMOVED. IT WAS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE AIR, EVEN ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 35. THE RWY APPARENTLY WAS BEING PAVED. THERE WAS FAIRLY FRESH ASPHALT, NO POT HOLES, AND AN ENTIRELY SMOOTH RWY, AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND TKOF. THERE WAS NO EQUIP OR PERSONNEL ON THE RWY. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE I DID NOT CALL WX BRIEF PRIOR TO MY FLT TO OBTAIN NOTAMS. I ADDITION, THE ABSENCE OF A VISIBLE 'X' ON RWY 35 AT 8F3 ADDED TO THE PROB. FURTHER, NO RESPONSE ON CTAF/UNICOM 122.8, SO FROM THE AIR ON MY INST APCH, I DID NOT KNOW THE RWY WAS CLOSED. ON FUTURE FLTS, MY PLAN WILL BE TO OBTAIN BRIEFINGS TO ALL ARPTS OF INTENDED LNDG (EVEN IF VFR AND EVEN IF THE ARPT IS FAMILIAR). IF NO RESPONSE AT UNCTLED ARPTS ON CTAF/UNICOM, OVERFLY THE ARPT AND INSPECT ALL RWYS PRIOR TO LNDG.

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.