Narrative:

Overlooked NOTAM section on flight release that indicated runway 15/33 closed from XA00Z-XF30Z. ATC closed at XB00Z at btv. While picking up ATIS information, noticed in remarks section that runway 15/33 at btv was closed after last scheduled airline flight after (XB30Z). At that time it was XB35Z. Contacted ZBW and advised -- they eventually got us in contact with btv airport operation, who cleared the equipment off the runway and cleared us to land at XC00Z. The disturbing part of the entire situation is while ZBW attempted contact with btv airport operations. We were in contact with our dispatch via SELCAL and btv operations via VHF. They maintained the entire time that the runway was not closed and, in fact, was open and clear awaiting our arrival. Dispatch instructed us to land btv without obtaining confirmation from ZBW or btv airport operations that the runway was clear of men and equipment. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter reiterated the discrepancy between the company's insistence that the runway was open and the eventual reality that men and equipment were on it and working as eventually learned through airport operations through the intermediation of ZBW controllers. He also commented on the lack of information on his release regarding the runway closure, and the fact that maintenance on the aircraft had delayed their departure by at least 2 hours, thus exacerbating the potential for the NOTAM closure time to become an issue. This analyst was impressed with the manner in which the reporter had prepared himself both before and during the flight to deal with the potential problems that did, in fact, prevail. Although dispatched with no alternate and only 45 mins reserve fuel, he added additional fuel, and when the confusion arose regarding the availability of the runway, promptly named an alternate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 ARRIVING BTV AFTER TWR CLOSING HAD DIFFICULTY DETERMINING STATUS OF RWY DUE TO CONFUSING NOTAMS AND DISAGREEMENT BTWN COMPANY DISPATCH AND ARPT OPS REGARDING ITS NOTAMED CLOSURE. DELAYED LNDG UNTIL MEN AND EQUIP CLRED FROM RWY.

Narrative: OVERLOOKED NOTAM SECTION ON FLT RELEASE THAT INDICATED RWY 15/33 CLOSED FROM XA00Z-XF30Z. ATC CLOSED AT XB00Z AT BTV. WHILE PICKING UP ATIS INFO, NOTICED IN REMARKS SECTION THAT RWY 15/33 AT BTV WAS CLOSED AFTER LAST SCHEDULED AIRLINE FLT AFTER (XB30Z). AT THAT TIME IT WAS XB35Z. CONTACTED ZBW AND ADVISED -- THEY EVENTUALLY GOT US IN CONTACT WITH BTV ARPT OP, WHO CLRED THE EQUIP OFF THE RWY AND CLRED US TO LAND AT XC00Z. THE DISTURBING PART OF THE ENTIRE SIT IS WHILE ZBW ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH BTV ARPT OPS. WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH OUR DISPATCH VIA SELCAL AND BTV OPS VIA VHF. THEY MAINTAINED THE ENTIRE TIME THAT THE RWY WAS NOT CLOSED AND, IN FACT, WAS OPEN AND CLR AWAITING OUR ARR. DISPATCH INSTRUCTED US TO LAND BTV WITHOUT OBTAINING CONFIRMATION FROM ZBW OR BTV ARPT OPS THAT THE RWY WAS CLR OF MEN AND EQUIP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR REITERATED THE DISCREPANCY BTWN THE COMPANY'S INSISTENCE THAT THE RWY WAS OPEN AND THE EVENTUAL REALITY THAT MEN AND EQUIP WERE ON IT AND WORKING AS EVENTUALLY LEARNED THROUGH ARPT OPS THROUGH THE INTERMEDIATION OF ZBW CTLRS. HE ALSO COMMENTED ON THE LACK OF INFO ON HIS RELEASE REGARDING THE RWY CLOSURE, AND THE FACT THAT MAINT ON THE ACFT HAD DELAYED THEIR DEP BY AT LEAST 2 HRS, THUS EXACERBATING THE POTENTIAL FOR THE NOTAM CLOSURE TIME TO BECOME AN ISSUE. THIS ANALYST WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE MANNER IN WHICH THE RPTR HAD PREPARED HIMSELF BOTH BEFORE AND DURING THE FLT TO DEAL WITH THE POTENTIAL PROBS THAT DID, IN FACT, PREVAIL. ALTHOUGH DISPATCHED WITH NO ALTERNATE AND ONLY 45 MINS RESERVE FUEL, HE ADDED ADDITIONAL FUEL, AND WHEN THE CONFUSION AROSE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF THE RWY, PROMPTLY NAMED AN ALTERNATE.

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.