Reporter complains that FSS was not formally notified when runway lights were turned off.

Attributes
ACN	175675
Time
Date	199104
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aoo
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pbi
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : contact
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	175675
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

A contact approach was requested and approved approximately 10 mi southwest of the airport. Leaving ZOB frequency and contacting ado FSS for current wind and altimeter verification, the operator on duty mentioned that he thought the runway lights had been turned off. Arriving over the airport, this was found to be turn and the FSS operator volunteered to call an airport maintenance man who had access to the runway light switch so the lights could be turned one. This was done and the aircraft was landed. This all took place within about 10 mins and 1 wide circle of the airport. It is the pilot's understanding the lights were turned out because of lightning in the area during the preceding 30 mins or so. This discussion was not pursued any further. A NOTAM was not issued, FSS was not formally notified and therefore the center controllers were unaware of the no light situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER COMPLAINS THAT FSS WAS NOT FORMALLY NOTIFIED WHEN RWY LIGHTS WERE TURNED OFF.

Narrative: A CONTACT APCH WAS REQUESTED AND APPROVED APPROX 10 MI SW OF THE ARPT. LEAVING ZOB FREQ AND CONTACTING ADO FSS FOR CURRENT WIND AND ALTIMETER VERIFICATION, THE OPERATOR ON DUTY MENTIONED THAT HE THOUGHT THE RWY LIGHTS HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. ARRIVING OVER THE ARPT, THIS WAS FOUND TO BE TURN AND THE FSS OPERATOR VOLUNTEERED TO CALL AN ARPT MAINT MAN WHO HAD ACCESS TO THE RWY LIGHT SWITCH SO THE LIGHTS COULD BE TURNED ONE. THIS WAS DONE AND THE ACFT WAS LANDED. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE WITHIN ABOUT 10 MINS AND 1 WIDE CIRCLE OF THE ARPT. IT IS THE PLT'S UNDERSTANDING THE LIGHTS WERE TURNED OUT BECAUSE OF LIGHTNING IN THE AREA DURING THE PRECEDING 30 MINS OR SO. THIS DISCUSSION WAS NOT PURSUED ANY FURTHER. A NOTAM WAS NOT ISSUED, FSS WAS NOT FORMALLY NOTIFIED AND THEREFORE THE CENTER CTLRS WERE UNAWARE OF THE NO LIGHT SITUATION.

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.