Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 170; Flight Crew Type 170
Communication Breakdown; Other / Unknown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Runway
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Airport; Human Factors
During a flight to DPA I unknowingly landed on Runway 2 at EFT which was closed. Prior to flight I received a briefing to review weather along the route and any NOTAMs. To meet the requirements of the 61.429 (4i) for the long commercial cross country a full stop landing was planned enroute at EFT which is almost directly on the route to DPA. Prior to picking this as a point of landing; I reviewed the airport diagram and NOTAMs on Foreflight. I also received the weather from the AWOS prior to landing.  The landing terminated normally with a full stop; however; during my rollout I noticed cones on the runway about 1500 feet from where my rollout ended. I then looked to the left and noticed cones blocking the taxiway intersection on the runway and realized the runway must be closed. Given that the landing was uneventful I carefully taxied back to the start of Runway 2 and inspected the runway condition during my taxi. Upon reaching the threshold of Runway 2 I noticed a yellow X that was located south of the Runway 2 threshold outside of the runway environment. This was not visible during my approach for landing; nor were the unlit cones at the end of the runway. Given the runway condition appeared acceptable for a takeoff in a 172 I executed a short field takeoff without incident.The problem ultimately arose as the result of me failing to review current NOTAMS in my briefing before departing where the runway closure was notated. Since it must have been fairly unplanned; the NOTAM was not in the usual Foreflight download that would have alerted me on the taxi diagram that the runway was closed. After landing however and pulling up NOTAMS it did display the NOTAM on the airport plate and in the section for airport information.Contributing factors at the airport is the lack of any lighted signs indicating that the runway was closed and that the yellow X indicating closure was off the runway threshold and not visible with a landing light at night on a normal approach. The AWOS also did not have a remark regarding a closed runway which would have aided in awareness and planning before even arriving at the airport. To correct the situation I would recommend that the airport indicate on the AWOS that the runway is closed and also utilize some lighted cones at the taxiways; on the runway; lighted closure X's; or other indications at night that the runway is closed.  There should also be some indication within the runway environment of Runway 2 that would be visible with a landing light that the runway is closed. Without these changes; it is possible that another pilot could make this same mistake.
C172 pilot reports landing at EFT at night and discovering that the runway is closed. After taxi back and assessing the runway condition; takeoff is initiated. The closure had a NOTAM; but not noticed by the reporter. The indications of closure were unlighted cones on the connecting taxiways and an unlighted yellow X outside of the touch down zone; none of which were detected prior to landing.