Narrative:

The landing at new haven at night with the tower closed, requires runway lights be controled by the pilots. This is an extremely short flight which we make from white plains, ny to new haven in just 12 mins. Despite the airport being classified as a special airport to warn the captain to get a brief prior to entry to this airspace, it really doesn't properly prepare you for unforeseen problems that will complicate this approach. We had a clear night, and elected to fly the ILS approach to runway 02 in order to be more prepared. When we were passing the final approach fix, we realized we needed to activate the lights at the field i.e. Runway and taxiway lights. When I tried to key the lights on the tower frequency, they didn't come on. I tried 2 or 3 more times with various combinations of clicks: 3-5-7, even 9. When they didn't come on, I switched back to center frequency to inquire as to the correct procedure and was told 3-5-7 on tower frequency. Then I switched back to try to turn on the lights again, to no avail. The copilot was flying the ILS and now had the PAPI lights for runway 02 in sight. Shortly thereafter we had the runway visually in the aircraft lights. I believe we were able to see the runway so clearly because of the clear sky, full moon and all our landing lights being on. I elected to have the copilot complete the landing due to our being in position for the landing and because it seemed safe to do so. The landing was made without problem. On taxi in, the copilot tried to turn on the lights again, and this time all runway and taxi lights came on. I couldn't explain why we had the problem with the lights.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG LANDED AT AN UNCTLED ARPT WITH NO RWY LIGHTS.

Narrative: THE LNDG AT NEW HAVEN AT NIGHT WITH THE TWR CLOSED, REQUIRES RWY LIGHTS BE CTLED BY THE PLTS. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY SHORT FLT WHICH WE MAKE FROM WHITE PLAINS, NY TO NEW HAVEN IN JUST 12 MINS. DESPITE THE ARPT BEING CLASSIFIED AS A SPECIAL ARPT TO WARN THE CAPT TO GET A BRIEF PRIOR TO ENTRY TO THIS AIRSPACE, IT REALLY DOESN'T PROPERLY PREPARE YOU FOR UNFORESEEN PROBS THAT WILL COMPLICATE THIS APCH. WE HAD A CLR NIGHT, AND ELECTED TO FLY THE ILS APCH TO RWY 02 IN ORDER TO BE MORE PREPARED. WHEN WE WERE PASSING THE FINAL APCH FIX, WE REALIZED WE NEEDED TO ACTIVATE THE LIGHTS AT THE FIELD I.E. RWY AND TXWY LIGHTS. WHEN I TRIED TO KEY THE LIGHTS ON THE TWR FREQ, THEY DIDN'T COME ON. I TRIED 2 OR 3 MORE TIMES WITH VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF CLICKS: 3-5-7, EVEN 9. WHEN THEY DIDN'T COME ON, I SWITCHED BACK TO CTR FREQ TO INQUIRE AS TO THE CORRECT PROC AND WAS TOLD 3-5-7 ON TWR FREQ. THEN I SWITCHED BACK TO TRY TO TURN ON THE LIGHTS AGAIN, TO NO AVAIL. THE COPLT WAS FLYING THE ILS AND NOW HAD THE PAPI LIGHTS FOR RWY 02 IN SIGHT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE HAD THE RWY VISUALLY IN THE ACFT LIGHTS. I BELIEVE WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE RWY SO CLRLY BECAUSE OF THE CLR SKY, FULL MOON AND ALL OUR LNDG LIGHTS BEING ON. I ELECTED TO HAVE THE COPLT COMPLETE THE LNDG DUE TO OUR BEING IN POS FOR THE LNDG AND BECAUSE IT SEEMED SAFE TO DO SO. THE LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT PROB. ON TAXI IN, THE COPLT TRIED TO TURN ON THE LIGHTS AGAIN, AND THIS TIME ALL RWY AND TAXI LIGHTS CAME ON. I COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHY WE HAD THE PROB WITH THE LIGHTS.

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.