Narrative:

As a result of a generator fire at bwi all lights on the airport, including all runway and approach lights, were inoperative. Sky conditions were clear, with a full moon--visibility was unlimited. I elected to takeoff with the runway lights inoperative. I was also given clearance, third hand, through company radio that our company dispatcher had authority/authorized our takeoff subject to 'captain's discretion.' bwi tower advised all aircraft that takeoffs would be authority/authorized subject to having 'forward visibility reference.' because there was a full moon the runway surface reflected brightly. Runway centerline and edge markings were clearly visible. I transmitted these facts on the tower frequency, requested and received takeoff clearance. A normal takeoff was accomplished. Flight continued to syracuse, ny, with no further incidents. Supplemental information from acn 109607: ground control advised us that taxi and departure would be at our own risk. We accepted a taxi clearance and proceeded to the departure runway. We were unsure as to whether we would be legal to depart with the runway lights out so we contacted our company dispatch. After some confusion on their part, they said we could go at the captain's discretion, provided we were able to maintain visibility reference. We checked our operations specifications and determined that a departure west/O the runway lights could be made down to an RVR of 1600', which we were obviously way above. We elected to takeoff and the flight proceeded to destination west/O incident. We later found out that our company held all flts after our departure and did not release any more flts until the lights were restored. We were not sure why that decision was made and we feel that we were legal for the takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLEAR BRIGHT MOONLIT NIGHT--TAXI AND RWY LIGHTS INOPERATIVE AT BWI. TWR ADVISED FLT CREW TAXI AND TKOF AT THEIR RISK. FLT CREW DETERMINED THEY HAD FORWARD VISIBILITY, TAXIED, TOOK OFF.

Narrative: AS A RESULT OF A GENERATOR FIRE AT BWI ALL LIGHTS ON THE ARPT, INCLUDING ALL RWY AND APCH LIGHTS, WERE INOP. SKY CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR, WITH A FULL MOON--VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED. I ELECTED TO TKOF WITH THE RWY LIGHTS INOP. I WAS ALSO GIVEN CLRNC, THIRD HAND, THROUGH COMPANY RADIO THAT OUR COMPANY DISPATCHER HAD AUTH OUR TKOF SUBJECT TO 'CAPT'S DISCRETION.' BWI TWR ADVISED ALL ACFT THAT TKOFS WOULD BE AUTH SUBJECT TO HAVING 'FORWARD VIS REF.' BECAUSE THERE WAS A FULL MOON THE RWY SURFACE REFLECTED BRIGHTLY. RWY CENTERLINE AND EDGE MARKINGS WERE CLEARLY VISIBLE. I XMITTED THESE FACTS ON THE TWR FREQ, REQUESTED AND RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC. A NORMAL TKOF WAS ACCOMPLISHED. FLT CONTINUED TO SYRACUSE, NY, WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 109607: GND CTL ADVISED US THAT TAXI AND DEP WOULD BE AT OUR OWN RISK. WE ACCEPTED A TAXI CLRNC AND PROCEEDED TO THE DEP RWY. WE WERE UNSURE AS TO WHETHER WE WOULD BE LEGAL TO DEPART WITH THE RWY LIGHTS OUT SO WE CONTACTED OUR COMPANY DISPATCH. AFTER SOME CONFUSION ON THEIR PART, THEY SAID WE COULD GO AT THE CAPT'S DISCRETION, PROVIDED WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VIS REF. WE CHKED OUR OPS SPECS AND DETERMINED THAT A DEP W/O THE RWY LIGHTS COULD BE MADE DOWN TO AN RVR OF 1600', WHICH WE WERE OBVIOUSLY WAY ABOVE. WE ELECTED TO TKOF AND THE FLT PROCEEDED TO DEST W/O INCIDENT. WE LATER FOUND OUT THAT OUR COMPANY HELD ALL FLTS AFTER OUR DEP AND DID NOT RELEASE ANY MORE FLTS UNTIL THE LIGHTS WERE RESTORED. WE WERE NOT SURE WHY THAT DECISION WAS MADE AND WE FEEL THAT WE WERE LEGAL FOR THE TKOF.

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.