C172 vectored for a visual approach to runway 15 at det reported that the runway was very difficult ...

Attributes
ACN	1078332
Time
Date	201304
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	DET.Airport
State Reference	MI
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Landing
Route In Use	Direct Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 22 Flight Crew Total 623 Flight Crew Type 520
Events
Anomaly	Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown

Narrative:

Upon approach to det; I was flying at 3;000 ft. Detroit approach gave me vectors direct to detroit city airport. About 7 miles back; I could not spot the airport. The tower light was not visible. As I got closer; ATC gave me vectors for right hand pattern and a visual approach. I still could not see the runway. I was cleared visual approach runway 15. As I entered a right downwind; I still could not see the runway; I informed ATC. I was instructed to switch to tower frequency. The tower controller put the lights on full. I still could not see the airport. I was finally able to make out runway 25/07; but a majority of the runway lights were not light or burned out. I was finally able to make out some what of the runway; and then I saw the end of runway 15. Coming in on approach was extremely difficult to make out the airport due to the burned out runway lights. As I turned final; I could barely make out the runway since numerous lights were burned out. At least the PAPI's were functional and I was able to make a safe landing without incident and with the control tower's assistance with me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 vectored for a visual approach to Runway 15 at DET reported that the runway was very difficult to identify because of numerous burned out runway lights.

Narrative: Upon approach to DET; I was flying at 3;000 FT. Detroit Approach gave me vectors direct to Detroit City Airport. About 7 miles back; I could not spot the airport. The Tower light was not visible. As I got closer; ATC gave me vectors for right hand pattern and a visual approach. I still could not see the runway. I was cleared visual approach Runway 15. As I entered a right downwind; I still could not see the runway; I informed ATC. I was instructed to switch to Tower frequency. The Tower Controller put the lights on full. I still could not see the airport. I was finally able to make out Runway 25/07; but a majority of the runway lights were not light or burned out. I was finally able to make out some what of the runway; and then I saw the end of Runway 15. Coming in on approach was extremely difficult to make out the airport due to the burned out runway lights. As I turned final; I could barely make out the runway since numerous lights were burned out. At least the PAPI's were functional and I was able to make a safe landing without incident and with the Control Tower's assistance with me.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

C172 vectored for a visual approach to runway 15 at det reported that the runway was very difficult to identify because of numerous burned out runway lights.