Narrative:

After center gave us the hand over to CTAF; we did a call for the base to final turn and we intercepted the ILS and we were configured for the ILS. Weather was at mins for a high mins captain; and the airport was reported covered with a thin snow layer over the runways and taxiways. At that point I remember to click the lights for the airport. I did it on the yoke control and on the rtu switch; just in case. Passing the call of 200 feet I thought on a go around if I cannot see the runway. After the 100 foot call I saw the runway but it was not lights on as usual. I did key once again the switch to turn the lights on. (Later my first officer told me that he also tried to key the light on). The runway was in sight; I can see the terminal; the taxi ways; the crossing runway and the runway. I can see the threshold; the edge of the runway and the end of the runway too. At this point I call the airport in sight and we continued to land; thinking the lights were obscured by the snow cover. We were stable and in a point where we can land the airplane with normal maneuver and with the runway in sight. After we landed; we taxi to the gate and the gate agents ask about the lights on the runway; and we found the lights were never on. Miss interpretation of the light snow cover. Go around. Use of the threat or error management to my advantage and have that extra time to create more time to understand the situation and come up with a new plan to do another approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ-200 flight crew describes a night IMC ILS to minimums with the First Officer flying. The mic is keyed multiple times by both pilots on the CTAF to bring up the runway lights. At minimums the runway is in sight but the lights appear to be off and the mic is keyed again with negative results. A normal landing ensues and the lights come on bright during taxi in. The Captain was new to the seat and on high minimums; and the First Officer was new to the airline.

Narrative: After Center gave us the hand over to CTAF; we did a call for the base to final turn and we intercepted the ILS and we were configured for the ILS. Weather was at mins for a High mins Captain; and the airport was reported covered with a thin snow layer over the runways and taxiways. At that point I remember to click the lights for the airport. I did it on the Yoke control and on the RTU switch; just in case. Passing the call of 200 feet I thought on a Go Around if I cannot see the runway. After the 100 foot call I saw the runway but it was not lights on as usual. I did key once again the switch to turn the lights on. (Later my First Officer told me that he also tried to key the light on). The runway was in sight; I can see the terminal; the taxi ways; the crossing runway and the runway. I can see the threshold; the edge of the runway and the end of the runway too. At this point I call the airport in sight and we continued to land; thinking the lights were obscured by the snow cover. We were stable and in a point where we can land the airplane with normal maneuver and with the runway in sight. After we landed; we taxi to the gate and the gate agents ask about the lights on the runway; and we found the lights were never on. Miss interpretation of the light snow cover. Go around. Use of the Threat or Error Management to my advantage and have that extra time to create more time to understand the situation and come up with a new plan to do another approach.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.