Narrative:

Over espanola, NM, during an aerial mapping mission, clouds covered the job site casting shadows on the project area. 2 NM north of the project area was Q14 airport. Decided to land Q14. Checked abq sectional for length, elevation and frequency information. On short final to runway 34, I noted 'closed' painted in white on the displaced threshold and executed a go around. I checked the chart again to make sure I didn't misread the airport symbol. I visually checked the runway for standard X to indicate runway closed and did not see any. Landed runway 16. Called abq FSS from ground for NOTAM of runway closure -- none found. Briefer asked if I had checked airport facility directory. I had not. Airport noted 'reported closed indefinitely' in airport facility directory. Runway in marginal condition, but not unsafe for aircraft type. Next time will check airport facility directory before landing -- airport symbol on chart (abq sectional) could be changed. After returning to abq, called agent at airport facility directory. He reported the airport 'not actually closed,' and the white 'closed' painted on the displayed threshold as being painted there by 'local pilots.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: callback to pilot indicated conflict between abq sectional, abq FSS and airport manager. Further, the airport is located on indian lands and the marking 'closed' had been applied by local pilots in white paint, rather than the standard 'X.' the reporting aircraft was a cessna 206.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT CONSULTED ABQ SECTIONAL CHART PRIOR TO LNDG AT Q14. ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 34 THE PLT NOTICED A WHITE 'X' AND WENT AROUND. AFTER LNDG ON RWY 16 THE PLT MADE RADIO CONTACT WITH ABQ FSS WHO ADVISED THE ARPT WAS OPEN BUT TO CONSULT THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY STATES ESPANOLA ARPT (Q14) IS CLOSED INDEFINITELY. HOWEVER, THE NARRATIVE THEN STATES 'USE OF RWY 16 IS ENCOURAGED IF WINDS PERMIT.' ARPT MGR STATED ARPT IS OPEN.

Narrative: OVER ESPANOLA, NM, DURING AN AERIAL MAPPING MISSION, CLOUDS COVERED THE JOB SITE CASTING SHADOWS ON THE PROJECT AREA. 2 NM N OF THE PROJECT AREA WAS Q14 ARPT. DECIDED TO LAND Q14. CHKED ABQ SECTIONAL FOR LENGTH, ELEVATION AND FREQ INFO. ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 34, I NOTED 'CLOSED' PAINTED IN WHITE ON THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD AND EXECUTED A GAR. I CHKED THE CHART AGAIN TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MISREAD THE ARPT SYMBOL. I VISUALLY CHKED THE RWY FOR STANDARD X TO INDICATE RWY CLOSED AND DID NOT SEE ANY. LANDED RWY 16. CALLED ABQ FSS FROM GND FOR NOTAM OF RWY CLOSURE -- NONE FOUND. BRIEFER ASKED IF I HAD CHKED ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. I HAD NOT. ARPT NOTED 'RPTED CLOSED INDEFINITELY' IN ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. RWY IN MARGINAL CONDITION, BUT NOT UNSAFE FOR ACFT TYPE. NEXT TIME WILL CHK ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY BEFORE LNDG -- ARPT SYMBOL ON CHART (ABQ SECTIONAL) COULD BE CHANGED. AFTER RETURNING TO ABQ, CALLED AGENT AT ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. HE RPTED THE ARPT 'NOT ACTUALLY CLOSED,' AND THE WHITE 'CLOSED' PAINTED ON THE DISPLAYED THRESHOLD AS BEING PAINTED THERE BY 'LCL PLTS.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CALLBACK TO PLT INDICATED CONFLICT BTWN ABQ SECTIONAL, ABQ FSS AND ARPT MGR. FURTHER, THE ARPT IS LOCATED ON INDIAN LANDS AND THE MARKING 'CLOSED' HAD BEEN APPLIED BY LCL PLTS IN WHITE PAINT, RATHER THAN THE STANDARD 'X.' THE RPTING ACFT WAS A CESSNA 206.

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.