An small aircraft pilot landed at a closed airport.

Attributes
ACN	529043
Time
Date	200111
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aoc.airport
State Reference	ID
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1850 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	529043
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While circling at 8000 ft about 4 or 5 mi west of arco airport over a ranch to survey the area prior to an aerial photo shoot, I noticed a roughness and surging in the engine, and an irregular fluctuation in the fuel flow gauge. Since I was 4 or 5 mi from arco airport and had the field in sight, I headed that way. The surging became more intermittent, but I chose to make a precautionary landing at arco to do some run ups on the ground. After landing I discovered that the airport was closed, although there were no markings visible to that effect. I conducted a quick ground run up which showed no irregularity and then took off to the west and returned to (sun) sun valley.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT LANDED AT A CLOSED ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE CIRCLING AT 8000 FT ABOUT 4 OR 5 MI WEST OF ARCO ARPT OVER A RANCH TO SURVEY THE AREA PRIOR TO AN AERIAL PHOTO SHOOT, I NOTICED A ROUGHNESS AND SURGING IN THE ENG, AND AN IRREGULAR FLUCTUATION IN THE FUEL FLOW GAUGE. SINCE I WAS 4 OR 5 MI FROM ARCO ARPT AND HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT, I HEADED THAT WAY. THE SURGING BECAME MORE INTERMITTENT, BUT I CHOSE TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT ARCO TO DO SOME RUN UPS ON THE GND. AFTER LNDG I DISCOVERED THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO MARKINGS VISIBLE TO THAT EFFECT. I CONDUCTED A QUICK GND RUN UP WHICH SHOWED NO IRREGULARITY AND THEN TOOK OFF TO THE WEST AND RETURNED TO (SUN) SUN VALLEY.

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.