Narrative:

During a night approach into sav, GA, we were advised to expect a visual to runway 27. As we approached the area we utilized the VOR-27 approach as a backup to help locate the runway. The runway is sometimes difficult to see due to factory lights nearby. Upon being handed off to the final controller, we established ourselves on the outbound radial and attempted visual contact with the runway. After a few moments, the captain and I both saw what looked exactly like a 'rabbit' lighting system. The lights were sequenced, bright, and flashing in the correct direction. I lined the aircraft up on these lights. Once we were in position the runway lights were still not visible. The captain asked the controller, 'is the rabbit on and the runway lights?' the controller responded, 'yes, both system are on.' as we approached the 'rabbit' my depth perception disagreed with the position of the aircraft and the altitude we were at in reference to where the runway should have been. I looked ahead and to the left about 2 mi and very faintly I made out the real runway. After breaking off to land, I looked back to see that we had followed lights located on a pair of factory smokestacks. Looking at the runway, there was only a reils operational at the time, not the 'rabbit' as we were told by ATC. Our landing and rollout was uneventful. We passed far too close for comfort to the smokestacks. Contributing factors: 1) lights acted like a real 'rabbit.' 2) the controller stated that the 'rabbit' was on. 3) crew did not review the approach plate and maintain proper reference to the radial. 4) these lights are not mentioned on plate but look far too real.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT CREW BECAME CONFUSED WITH OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS DURING A NIGHT APCH.

Narrative: DURING A NIGHT APCH INTO SAV, GA, WE WERE ADVISED TO EXPECT A VISUAL TO RWY 27. AS WE APCHED THE AREA WE UTILIZED THE VOR-27 APCH AS A BACKUP TO HELP LOCATE THE RWY. THE RWY IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO FACTORY LIGHTS NEARBY. UPON BEING HANDED OFF TO THE FINAL CTLR, WE ESTABLISHED OURSELVES ON THE OUTBOUND RADIAL AND ATTEMPTED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, THE CAPT AND I BOTH SAW WHAT LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE A 'RABBIT' LIGHTING SYS. THE LIGHTS WERE SEQUENCED, BRIGHT, AND FLASHING IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION. I LINED THE ACFT UP ON THESE LIGHTS. ONCE WE WERE IN POS THE RWY LIGHTS WERE STILL NOT VISIBLE. THE CAPT ASKED THE CTLR, 'IS THE RABBIT ON AND THE RWY LIGHTS?' THE CTLR RESPONDED, 'YES, BOTH SYS ARE ON.' AS WE APCHED THE 'RABBIT' MY DEPTH PERCEPTION DISAGREED WITH THE POS OF THE ACFT AND THE ALT WE WERE AT IN REF TO WHERE THE RWY SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I LOOKED AHEAD AND TO THE L ABOUT 2 MI AND VERY FAINTLY I MADE OUT THE REAL RWY. AFTER BREAKING OFF TO LAND, I LOOKED BACK TO SEE THAT WE HAD FOLLOWED LIGHTS LOCATED ON A PAIR OF FACTORY SMOKESTACKS. LOOKING AT THE RWY, THERE WAS ONLY A REILS OPERATIONAL AT THE TIME, NOT THE 'RABBIT' AS WE WERE TOLD BY ATC. OUR LNDG AND ROLLOUT WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE PASSED FAR TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT TO THE SMOKESTACKS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) LIGHTS ACTED LIKE A REAL 'RABBIT.' 2) THE CTLR STATED THAT THE 'RABBIT' WAS ON. 3) CREW DID NOT REVIEW THE APCH PLATE AND MAINTAIN PROPER REF TO THE RADIAL. 4) THESE LIGHTS ARE NOT MENTIONED ON PLATE BUT LOOK FAR TOO REAL.

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.