Narrative:

During the morning of apr/sat/90 (XA00L) we found ourselves faced with a departure from the concord airport with only runway 19R-1L lighted. Runway 32R has lights but they are operational only when the tower is in operation (until XX00L). Runway 32R is the noise abatement runway. Winds were from the northwest at approximately 15 KTS which favored a 32R departure. These 2 factors 'noise procedures' and wind were considered and runway 32R was selected for takeoff. The takeoff and flight to lax were uneventful. The purpose of this report is to point out that our departure was from an unlighted runway in an effort to minimize noise and take advantage of the prevailing wind. It was during our return to the airport several hours later that we became aware that the ATIS was advising that all runways other than 19R-1L were notamed closed. It was our belief at the time that since the airport was uncontrolled we had the option of runways for departure. The legality of departing or for that matter landing on an unlighted runway is unclear to us as of this letter. It is our feeling that airports which have lights available on runways other than the 'night runway' should make them available to crews thru the pilot controled lighting system. All factors considered it was our belief that runway 32R was advisable under these conditions. However, we are now reviewing our decision and have concluded that should a similar situation occur we would depart from the lighted runway and treat the noise problem as an entirely separate issue. Two factors were particularly important to this situation: we were flying at the end of an especially long 24 hour duty day and secondly our 'over concern' with the noise issue. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter has reconsidered the flight crew's decision to take off on the unlighted runway. Had some vague knowledge that the runway is normally unlighted at night with a standing NOTAM that it is closed when tower not operating (reason for this is unknown). Reporter has determined taking off on the lighted runway and handling any noise complaints is the safest more legal procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR-MDT ACFT TOOK OFF CCR AT NIGHT ON AN UNLIGHTED RWY.

Narrative: DURING THE MORNING OF APR/SAT/90 (XA00L) WE FOUND OURSELVES FACED WITH A DEP FROM THE CONCORD ARPT WITH ONLY RWY 19R-1L LIGHTED. RWY 32R HAS LIGHTS BUT THEY ARE OPERATIONAL ONLY WHEN THE TWR IS IN OPERATION (UNTIL XX00L). RWY 32R IS THE NOISE ABATEMENT RWY. WINDS WERE FROM THE NW AT APPROX 15 KTS WHICH FAVORED A 32R DEP. THESE 2 FACTORS 'NOISE PROCS' AND WIND WERE CONSIDERED AND RWY 32R WAS SELECTED FOR TKOF. THE TKOF AND FLT TO LAX WERE UNEVENTFUL. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT IS TO POINT OUT THAT OUR DEP WAS FROM AN UNLIGHTED RWY IN AN EFFORT TO MINIMIZE NOISE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PREVAILING WIND. IT WAS DURING OUR RETURN TO THE ARPT SEVERAL HOURS LATER THAT WE BECAME AWARE THAT THE ATIS WAS ADVISING THAT ALL RWYS OTHER THAN 19R-1L WERE NOTAMED CLOSED. IT WAS OUR BELIEF AT THE TIME THAT SINCE THE ARPT WAS UNCTLED WE HAD THE OPTION OF RWYS FOR DEP. THE LEGALITY OF DEPARTING OR FOR THAT MATTER LNDG ON AN UNLIGHTED RWY IS UNCLEAR TO US AS OF THIS LETTER. IT IS OUR FEELING THAT ARPTS WHICH HAVE LIGHTS AVAILABLE ON RWYS OTHER THAN THE 'NIGHT RWY' SHOULD MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO CREWS THRU THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING SYSTEM. ALL FACTORS CONSIDERED IT WAS OUR BELIEF THAT RWY 32R WAS ADVISABLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, WE ARE NOW REVIEWING OUR DECISION AND HAVE CONCLUDED THAT SHOULD A SIMILAR SITUATION OCCUR WE WOULD DEPART FROM THE LIGHTED RWY AND TREAT THE NOISE PROBLEM AS AN ENTIRELY SEPARATE ISSUE. TWO FACTORS WERE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO THIS SITUATION: WE WERE FLYING AT THE END OF AN ESPECIALLY LONG 24 HR DUTY DAY AND SECONDLY OUR 'OVER CONCERN' WITH THE NOISE ISSUE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER HAS RECONSIDERED THE FLT CREW'S DECISION TO TAKE OFF ON THE UNLIGHTED RWY. HAD SOME VAGUE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE RWY IS NORMALLY UNLIGHTED AT NIGHT WITH A STANDING NOTAM THAT IT IS CLOSED WHEN TWR NOT OPERATING (REASON FOR THIS IS UNKNOWN). REPORTER HAS DETERMINED TAKING OFF ON THE LIGHTED RWY AND HANDLING ANY NOISE COMPLAINTS IS THE SAFEST MORE LEGAL PROC.

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