Runway edge lights appeared to be extremely dim or possibly off during landing.

Attributes
ACN	111060
Time
Date	198905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 30 agl bound upper : 30
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	111060
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

20 mi out from oak while with approach control, we confirmed the airport and runway in sight. Runway 29 cl, alsf-1, and TDZ lights plainly idented. Although cleared for the visibility, we requested runway vectors for the ILS due to some scattered low clouds between us and the airport. It was not until crossing the runway threshold that I asked the captain if he thought the runway edge lights were on, and that I had adequate reference for T/D in any event. We quickly agreed that continuing the landing was the safe course of action. While taxiing in we questioned tower on the lighting intensity of the runway edge lights. He said the control southwest was in the on position, but would rechk. After doing so, the runway edge lights illuminated very obviously. We still were not sure if the lights were off, or just set at their lowest intensity. It is my judgement that even if the lights were not on, that continuation of the landing from that altitude was the safest course of action given the positive visibility cues at hand, official sunset notwithstanding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY EDGE LIGHTS APPEARED TO BE EXTREMELY DIM OR POSSIBLY OFF DURING LNDG.

Narrative: 20 MI OUT FROM OAK WHILE WITH APCH CTL, WE CONFIRMED THE ARPT AND RWY IN SIGHT. RWY 29 CL, ALSF-1, AND TDZ LIGHTS PLAINLY IDENTED. ALTHOUGH CLRED FOR THE VIS, WE REQUESTED RWY VECTORS FOR THE ILS DUE TO SOME SCATTERED LOW CLOUDS BTWN US AND THE ARPT. IT WAS NOT UNTIL XING THE RWY THRESHOLD THAT I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE THOUGHT THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS WERE ON, AND THAT I HAD ADEQUATE REF FOR T/D IN ANY EVENT. WE QUICKLY AGREED THAT CONTINUING THE LNDG WAS THE SAFE COURSE OF ACTION. WHILE TAXIING IN WE QUESTIONED TWR ON THE LIGHTING INTENSITY OF THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS. HE SAID THE CTL SW WAS IN THE ON POS, BUT WOULD RECHK. AFTER DOING SO, THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED VERY OBVIOUSLY. WE STILL WERE NOT SURE IF THE LIGHTS WERE OFF, OR JUST SET AT THEIR LOWEST INTENSITY. IT IS MY JUDGEMENT THAT EVEN IF THE LIGHTS WERE NOT ON, THAT CONTINUATION OF THE LNDG FROM THAT ALT WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION GIVEN THE POSITIVE VIS CUES AT HAND, OFFICIAL SUNSET NOTWITHSTANDING.

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.