Narrative:

After departing our home airport for a local flight, my passenger and I decided to go on to plymouth airport for dinner at a restaurant next to the airport which we frequently went to. Although the airport was engulfed in shadows due to the sun setting, the runway was well defined. I noticed the runway had a new appearance as if repaved or sealcoated. We landed on runway 28 although the last rays of the sun in our eyes was a minor distraction as all of us know it can be. As the aircraft started to settle on the runway the propeller struck something. I immediately moved the aircraft to the left of the runway. After exiting the aircraft I could see steel rods the entire length of the runway right down the center. These rods were approximately 2 ft high and black in color. On final approach they gave the illusion of a nice straight seam where the asphalt came together. It was apparent the airport runway was being resurfaced but where were the X markers to indicate a closed runway. There were none on the runway, none on the approach to the runway. There were no cones, barriers, horses, nothing to indicate a closed runway. I discovered later that the X markers were alongside the runway in the grass area, easy to miss at dusk with the sun in your eyes. An official from the state of indiana said that it was legal to place them there. My insurance company said they would look into the matter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE LNDG, SMA PROP STRIKES STEEL RODS PROTRUDING FROM RWY SURFACE.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING OUR HOME ARPT FOR A LCL FLT, MY PAX AND I DECIDED TO GO ON TO PLYMOUTH ARPT FOR DINNER AT A RESTAURANT NEXT TO THE ARPT WHICH WE FREQUENTLY WENT TO. ALTHOUGH THE ARPT WAS ENGULFED IN SHADOWS DUE TO THE SUN SETTING, THE RWY WAS WELL DEFINED. I NOTICED THE RWY HAD A NEW APPEARANCE AS IF REPAVED OR SEALCOATED. WE LANDED ON RWY 28 ALTHOUGH THE LAST RAYS OF THE SUN IN OUR EYES WAS A MINOR DISTR AS ALL OF US KNOW IT CAN BE. AS THE ACFT STARTED TO SETTLE ON THE RWY THE PROP STRUCK SOMETHING. I IMMEDIATELY MOVED THE ACFT TO THE L OF THE RWY. AFTER EXITING THE ACFT I COULD SEE STEEL RODS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE RWY RIGHT DOWN THE CTR. THESE RODS WERE APPROX 2 FT HIGH AND BLACK IN COLOR. ON FINAL APCH THEY GAVE THE ILLUSION OF A NICE STRAIGHT SEAM WHERE THE ASPHALT CAME TOGETHER. IT WAS APPARENT THE ARPT RWY WAS BEING RESURFACED BUT WHERE WERE THE X MARKERS TO INDICATE A CLOSED RWY. THERE WERE NONE ON THE RWY, NONE ON THE APCH TO THE RWY. THERE WERE NO CONES, BARRIERS, HORSES, NOTHING TO INDICATE A CLOSED RWY. I DISCOVERED LATER THAT THE X MARKERS WERE ALONGSIDE THE RWY IN THE GRASS AREA, EASY TO MISS AT DUSK WITH THE SUN IN YOUR EYES. AN OFFICIAL FROM THE STATE OF INDIANA SAID THAT IT WAS LEGAL TO PLACE THEM THERE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THEY WOULD LOOK INTO THE MATTER.

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.