Narrative:

En route aeg traffic pattern, aeg unicom indicated surface winds favoring runway 35. There were 2 aircraft in closed traffic for runway 22. After entering the traffic pattern for runway 22, I noticed what appeared to be an (airport) truck (bright yellow) on the north end of runway 17/35. I commented on this to the unicom operator asking if the runway was closed. No mention was made of any runway closures in my pilot briefing from abq AFSS. The unicom operator commented that they had no knowledge of any runway closures and 'the airport manager never talks to us, anyway.' shortly afterwards the unicom operator broadcast in the blind that the double eagle runway 17/35 was closed. I thought it odd that the airport manager/staff would consider closing a runway without informing the unicom operator (or flight service). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that runway 35 was still being indicated on unicom as the active runway when he sighted the truck on the runway. There were people walking on the north end of the runway. He surmises that the truck had a radio tuned to unicom and when reporter and the unicom operator discussed the situation they heard the conversation and activated the runway closure. Reporter had a student pilot on board and the crosswind practice was all right. The airport is operated by the airport authority/authorized, and the airport manager is at the main abq airport, not on site at double eagle. Reporter feels this type of action occurs too often with vehicles on the runway. When the area is being mowed, the machines make a turn onto the runway to go between the runway lights and then back to the mowing area. He has checked for NOTAMS in these sits and has not found any. Aircraft is a C172.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR WITH STUDENT PLT FLYING INTO NON TWR ARPT SIGHTS A TRUCK ON THE FAVORED RWY. IN COM WITH UNICOM OPERATOR IT IS INDICATED THERE IS NO RWY CLOSURE. MOMENTS LATER THE NOTICE IS BROADCAST THAT THE RWY IS CLOSED.

Narrative: ENRTE AEG TFC PATTERN, AEG UNICOM INDICATED SURFACE WINDS FAVORING RWY 35. THERE WERE 2 ACFT IN CLOSED TFC FOR RWY 22. AFTER ENTERING THE TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 22, I NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN (ARPT) TRUCK (BRIGHT YELLOW) ON THE NORTH END OF RWY 17/35. I COMMENTED ON THIS TO THE UNICOM OPERATOR ASKING IF THE RWY WAS CLOSED. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ANY RWY CLOSURES IN MY PLT BRIEFING FROM ABQ AFSS. THE UNICOM OPERATOR COMMENTED THAT THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY RWY CLOSURES AND 'THE ARPT MGR NEVER TALKS TO US, ANYWAY.' SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE UNICOM OPERATOR BROADCAST IN THE BLIND THAT THE DOUBLE EAGLE RWY 17/35 WAS CLOSED. I THOUGHT IT ODD THAT THE ARPT MGR/STAFF WOULD CONSIDER CLOSING A RWY WITHOUT INFORMING THE UNICOM OPERATOR (OR FLT SVC). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT RWY 35 WAS STILL BEING INDICATED ON UNICOM AS THE ACTIVE RWY WHEN HE SIGHTED THE TRUCK ON THE RWY. THERE WERE PEOPLE WALKING ON THE N END OF THE RWY. HE SURMISES THAT THE TRUCK HAD A RADIO TUNED TO UNICOM AND WHEN RPTR AND THE UNICOM OPERATOR DISCUSSED THE SIT THEY HEARD THE CONVERSATION AND ACTIVATED THE RWY CLOSURE. RPTR HAD A STUDENT PLT ON BOARD AND THE XWIND PRACTICE WAS ALL RIGHT. THE ARPT IS OPERATED BY THE ARPT AUTH, AND THE ARPT MGR IS AT THE MAIN ABQ ARPT, NOT ON SITE AT DOUBLE EAGLE. RPTR FEELS THIS TYPE OF ACTION OCCURS TOO OFTEN WITH VEHICLES ON THE RWY. WHEN THE AREA IS BEING MOWED, THE MACHINES MAKE A TURN ONTO THE RWY TO GO BTWN THE RWY LIGHTS AND THEN BACK TO THE MOWING AREA. HE HAS CHKED FOR NOTAMS IN THESE SITS AND HAS NOT FOUND ANY. ACFT IS A C172.

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.