Narrative:

The precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights for runway 27 at san diego, ca, lindbergh field are not functioning correctly. Specifically, none of the 4 PAPI lights will ever appear a bright red, when they are supposed to. As you are aware, as you descend from above the GS to the GS, the PAPI lights are supposed to turn from 'white' to 'red' from right to left. When you are on the GS the 2 right PAPI lights are supposed to be 'red' and the 2 left PAPI lights are supposed to be 'white'. As you descend below the GS the other PAPI 'white' lights continue to turn 'red' from right to left or vice versa if you climb above the GS. The trouble is that none of the 4 PAPI lights will ever turn completely 'red'. Instead they will turn a color about halfway between the normal red and white. For someone with not much experience flying into lindbergh field there could be some confusion as the pilot is concentrating for the right light to turn 'red' and not realizing that the light is as red as it is going to get while all the time the other 'white' lights are turning the same dull washed out red, and thus descending you below the GS. You don't need to do a flight check to see this problem. Just go out on the runup end of runway 27 and you will see what I'm talking about. These PAPI lights are poor regardless of the time of day, WX conditions, or the type of aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ADVISES THE PAPI LIGHTS FOR RWY 27 AT SAN DO NOT TURN THE NORMAL RED TO INDICATE BELOW GLIDE PATH BUT ARE ONLY ROSY COLOR AND COULD LEAD A FLC TO DSND BELOW GLIDE PATH WITHOUT A PAPI INDICATION.

Narrative: THE PRECISION APCH PATH INDICATOR (PAPI) LIGHTS FOR RWY 27 AT SAN DIEGO, CA, LINDBERGH FIELD ARE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. SPECIFICALLY, NONE OF THE 4 PAPI LIGHTS WILL EVER APPEAR A BRIGHT RED, WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO. AS YOU ARE AWARE, AS YOU DSND FROM ABOVE THE GS TO THE GS, THE PAPI LIGHTS ARE SUPPOSED TO TURN FROM 'WHITE' TO 'RED' FROM R TO L. WHEN YOU ARE ON THE GS THE 2 R PAPI LIGHTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE 'RED' AND THE 2 L PAPI LIGHTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE 'WHITE'. AS YOU DSND BELOW THE GS THE OTHER PAPI 'WHITE' LIGHTS CONTINUE TO TURN 'RED' FROM R TO L OR VICE VERSA IF YOU CLB ABOVE THE GS. THE TROUBLE IS THAT NONE OF THE 4 PAPI LIGHTS WILL EVER TURN COMPLETELY 'RED'. INSTEAD THEY WILL TURN A COLOR ABOUT HALFWAY BTWN THE NORMAL RED AND WHITE. FOR SOMEONE WITH NOT MUCH EXPERIENCE FLYING INTO LINDBERGH FIELD THERE COULD BE SOME CONFUSION AS THE PLT IS CONCENTRATING FOR THE R LIGHT TO TURN 'RED' AND NOT REALIZING THAT THE LIGHT IS AS RED AS IT IS GOING TO GET WHILE ALL THE TIME THE OTHER 'WHITE' LIGHTS ARE TURNING THE SAME DULL WASHED OUT RED, AND THUS DSNDING YOU BELOW THE GS. YOU DON'T NEED TO DO A FLT CHK TO SEE THIS PROBLEM. JUST GO OUT ON THE RUNUP END OF RWY 27 AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THESE PAPI LIGHTS ARE POOR REGARDLESS OF THE TIME OF DAY, WX CONDITIONS, OR THE TYPE OF ACFT.

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.