Narrative:

We were inbound to jackson hole airport on the VOR DME runway 36 approach. We were in VFR conditions and I asked my copilot to turn on the runway lights. As he did we noticed that only the VASI, taxi and red lights on the localizer antenna illuminated. We each tried a number of times to 'click' on the runway lights but were unsuccessful. We were now approximately on a 5 mi final. My options were to miss the approach and return to the origin, circle the airport while somebody tried to turn on the lights manually or to continue the approach using the VASI, localizer antenna and taxi lights as a reference. I did not want to circle because that would be extremely dangerous due to high terrain around the airport. I continued the approach and decided I would fly to short final, see how well the landing lights lit the runway and then either land or go around and fly the missed approach procedure. At approximately 200' AGL and 300' from the runway threshold, the runway became well lit from the landing lights so I continued and landed without complication or incident. I have operated into and out of jackson hole for 2 yrs regularly. My first officer was in agreement with the decisions made. The airport manager has been informed of the landing problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: I have flown into jac at night since the incident and problem has been taken care of. Hear from ground people that it was a faulty circuit breaker. Have not had any reaction from FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW LT LTT UNABLE TO TRIGGER RWY LIGHTS ON AT JAC LANDED WITH RWY ILLUMINATED BY LNDG LIGHTS.

Narrative: WE WERE INBND TO JACKSON HOLE ARPT ON THE VOR DME RWY 36 APCH. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS AND I ASKED MY COPLT TO TURN ON THE RWY LIGHTS. AS HE DID WE NOTICED THAT ONLY THE VASI, TAXI AND RED LIGHTS ON THE LOC ANTENNA ILLUMINATED. WE EACH TRIED A NUMBER OF TIMES TO 'CLICK' ON THE RWY LIGHTS BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. WE WERE NOW APPROX ON A 5 MI FINAL. MY OPTIONS WERE TO MISS THE APCH AND RETURN TO THE ORIGIN, CIRCLE THE ARPT WHILE SOMEBODY TRIED TO TURN ON THE LIGHTS MANUALLY OR TO CONTINUE THE APCH USING THE VASI, LOC ANTENNA AND TAXI LIGHTS AS A REFERENCE. I DID NOT WANT TO CIRCLE BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DUE TO HIGH TERRAIN AROUND THE ARPT. I CONTINUED THE APCH AND DECIDED I WOULD FLY TO SHORT FINAL, SEE HOW WELL THE LNDG LIGHTS LIT THE RWY AND THEN EITHER LAND OR GO AROUND AND FLY THE MISSED APCH PROC. AT APPROX 200' AGL AND 300' FROM THE RWY THRESHOLD, THE RWY BECAME WELL LIT FROM THE LNDG LIGHTS SO I CONTINUED AND LANDED WITHOUT COMPLICATION OR INCIDENT. I HAVE OPERATED INTO AND OUT OF JACKSON HOLE FOR 2 YRS REGULARLY. MY F/O WAS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE DECISIONS MADE. THE ARPT MGR HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THE LNDG PROBLEM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: I HAVE FLOWN INTO JAC AT NIGHT SINCE THE INCIDENT AND PROBLEM HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. HEAR FROM GND PEOPLE THAT IT WAS A FAULTY CIRCUIT BREAKER. HAVE NOT HAD ANY REACTION FROM FAA.

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.