Caravan 208B
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 68; Flight Crew Total 810; Flight Crew Type 160
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Ground Incursion Runway
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Airport
Conducted normal visual approach to land at Runway 17 in CAVU conditions. Crew had advised Approach several times during en-route of intent to land; with no mention from Approach Control of possible runway closure at [the destination airport]. Normal un-controlled traffic pattern radio transmissions were made during the approach to land. In the landing flare; pilot flying noticed reddish-orange painted patch of grass in shape of small x just prior to runway end; but no yellow x; unusual markings; barriers; signs; equipment; or personnel on the runway itself. Just prior to touchdown; pilot flying asked pilot not flying if the runway was closed; neither pilot flying nor pilot not flying in right seat was aware of a possible runway closure. Completed landing on runway 17 and taxied clear onto ramp area.Pilot flying visited with airport personnel who happened to be present (airport is normally unattended) and learned that the runway was closed for re-surfacing and re-painting. Airport personnel said another aircraft had departed earlier in the day with no issues to the new paving and that they were primarily waiting for some of the new paint striping on the runway to completely cure and the pavement was still wet on the turn-around taxi area at the north end of the runway. Airport personnel said aircraft was ok to takeoff to complete return to [departure airport] as planned if aircraft didn't taxi over the wet pavement on the turn-around area at the north end of the runway. Aircraft was back-taxied on the runway and care was taken to avoid the turn-around as requested and departed runway 17 without incident.Possible corrective actions to prevent incident:1. Would recommend higher visibility markings actually on the runway itself or perhaps barriers or cones rather than just painting the grass at each end as the markings were difficult to see until in the landing flare and since they were not on the actual runway; the flight crew was unsure of the intent of the markings.2. A post flight check of the NOTAMs revealed that the runway was indeed closed. A thorough pre-flight check of the NOTAMs was overlooked prior to the flight and would have caused a change in the intended landing site before departing.
C208B pilot reported landing on a closed runway that was marked with a small orange X in the grass. Reporter stated he missed the NOTAM.