NTSB Factual Report

On April 3, 2012, approximately 1920 central daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200T, N1162X, registered to Southwest Texas Rain Enhancement Association of Carrizo Springs, Texas, sustained substantial damage when it collided with construction barriers upon landing on closed runway 08 at the San Marcos Municipal Airport (HYI), San Marcos, Texas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the positioning flight being operated under the provision of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated at 1800 from Carrizo Springs, Texas, and San Marcos was its destination.

According to FAA records, the pilot called Fort Worth Flight Service Station (FSS) at 1700 before departure from Carrizo Springs to ask if any Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) were in effect between Carrizo Springs and San Marcos. After an uneventful flight, he landed the airplane on runway 08 at San Marcos. During the landing roll, the airplane struck construction barriers resulting in sheared main landing gear and substantial damage to the left wing.

The San Marcos control tower had closed at 1900. A Notice to Airman (NOTAM) was published and in effect since March 21, 2012, stipulating that runway 08/26 was closed due to construction.

The pilot reported that he had called the Fort Worth FSS prior to the flight and asked for TFR's along the route and asked the briefer if "there was anything else that [he] needed to be aware of." The briefer did not mention the NOTAM that was in effect for the runway 08 closure, nor did the pilot specifically ask about NOTAMs. He stated that upon arrival to San Marcos, about dusk, he listened to the Automated terminal Information Service (ATIS). He said that the ATIS recording did not include the closure of runway 08. He planned to land the airplane a bit long on the 6,600 foot runway to limit taxi time. During the landing roll, he was not able to avoid the barricade.

Chapter 5, paragraph d., of the Airman's Information Manual, states in part that Flight Service stations are required to advise pilots of pertinent NOTAMs if a standard briefing is requested. It also states that pilot's should remind the briefer to advise of NOTAMs if the information was not received in the brief.

Chapter 10, Section 4, paragraph d., of FAA Order JO7210.3X, dated February 9, 2012, states in part that facilities with runway construction must ensure ATIS message content is complete, accurate, and contains the proper information related to runway closures.

On the submitted NTSB Form 6120, Recommendation Section, the pilot stated that reflective ribbons, directional flashing lights, could have helped him see the barrier. He also stated that the accident would have been avoided if the runway closure information was included in the ATIS. He said that he flew into San Marcos about a week after the accident, April 24, and noted that the runway closure was included on the ATIS recording. The pilot offered that had the FSS briefer mentioned the NOTAM and/or if the NOTAM was included in the ATIS recording, the accident would not have occurred.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to ensure that he was aware of the NOTAM describing the runway closure, which resulted in a landing on the closed runway and subsequent collision with a barrier. Contributing to the accident was the failure of air traffic control personnel to include the runway closure information on the recorded ATIS information, which the pilot had listened to prior to landing.