Air ambulance operated in and out of a closed airport.

Attributes
ACN	86488
Time
Date	198805
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 26000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	86488
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon trying to depart santa ana on a life guard medical flight, I was advised that the airport was notamed closed due to painting on runway. I had filed into sna out of sfo and filed out of sna with hawthorne FSS. Neither oak FSS or hawthorne or inbound ATIS mentioned runway closed. I found out on outbnd ATIS and with coast control on 121.3 when I called for clearance to sfo. At this time we explained the nature of our trip to security and they got approval from airport manager for us to depart on the unlighted runway which we did. Have since talked with airport manager, tower and hawthorne FSS to find out problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR AMBULANCE OPERATED IN AND OUT OF A CLOSED ARPT.

Narrative: UPON TRYING TO DEPART SANTA ANA ON A LIFE GUARD MEDICAL FLT, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE ARPT WAS NOTAMED CLOSED DUE TO PAINTING ON RWY. I HAD FILED INTO SNA OUT OF SFO AND FILED OUT OF SNA WITH HAWTHORNE FSS. NEITHER OAK FSS OR HAWTHORNE OR INBND ATIS MENTIONED RWY CLOSED. I FOUND OUT ON OUTBND ATIS AND WITH COAST CTL ON 121.3 WHEN I CALLED FOR CLRNC TO SFO. AT THIS TIME WE EXPLAINED THE NATURE OF OUR TRIP TO SECURITY AND THEY GOT APPROVAL FROM ARPT MGR FOR US TO DEPART ON THE UNLIGHTED RWY WHICH WE DID. HAVE SINCE TALKED WITH ARPT MGR, TWR AND HAWTHORNE FSS TO FIND OUT PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.