Medium large transport almost ran over unlit taxiway lights on a dark and stormy night.

Attributes
ACN	260905
Time
Date	199401
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	260905
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While taxiing off runway 36 at dca our medium large transport almost ran over taxiway lights that were unlit surrounding the small island at taxiway north. The reason we had to come to an abrupt halt and stop the aircraft was: 1) no information on our company flight plan about taxiway lights out (NOTAMS). 2) no information on ATIS XA51 local or XB51 local. 3) no information from tower or ground control that the taxiway lights were out throughout the airport. After coming to a stop 12 inches from our nose tires and 3 ft from the right medium large transport tires it took the airport operations vehicle 10 mins to arrive at the scene. Since it was dark and rainy, the driver had no intention of getting out of his vehicle to confirm our closeness to the lights, but only stated over the ground control frequency that we were ok. We waited for our ramp personnel to arrive at the scene, power us back 20-30 ft and then guide us forward. I guess the most alarming point of this whole fiasco was that the tower personnel made another ATIS tape at approximately XC15 local which stated that, yes, taxiway lights were out at the airport, but they back-timed the observance to XB51. After calling the tower and finding out the lights had in fact been out for 1 1/2 hours, it sure sounds like a cover-up to me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ALMOST RAN OVER UNLIT TXWY LIGHTS ON A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING OFF RWY 36 AT DCA OUR MLG ALMOST RAN OVER TXWY LIGHTS THAT WERE UNLIT SURROUNDING THE SMALL ISLAND AT TXWY N. THE REASON WE HAD TO COME TO AN ABRUPT HALT AND STOP THE ACFT WAS: 1) NO INFO ON OUR COMPANY FLT PLAN ABOUT TXWY LIGHTS OUT (NOTAMS). 2) NO INFO ON ATIS XA51 LCL OR XB51 LCL. 3) NO INFO FROM TWR OR GND CTL THAT THE TXWY LIGHTS WERE OUT THROUGHOUT THE ARPT. AFTER COMING TO A STOP 12 INCHES FROM OUR NOSE TIRES AND 3 FT FROM THE R MLG TIRES IT TOOK THE ARPT OPS VEHICLE 10 MINS TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE. SINCE IT WAS DARK AND RAINY, THE DRIVER HAD NO INTENTION OF GETTING OUT OF HIS VEHICLE TO CONFIRM OUR CLOSENESS TO THE LIGHTS, BUT ONLY STATED OVER THE GND CTL FREQ THAT WE WERE OK. WE WAITED FOR OUR RAMP PERSONNEL TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE, PWR US BACK 20-30 FT AND THEN GUIDE US FORWARD. I GUESS THE MOST ALARMING POINT OF THIS WHOLE FIASCO WAS THAT THE TWR PERSONNEL MADE ANOTHER ATIS TAPE AT APPROX XC15 LCL WHICH STATED THAT, YES, TXWY LIGHTS WERE OUT AT THE ARPT, BUT THEY BACK-TIMED THE OBSERVANCE TO XB51. AFTER CALLING THE TWR AND FINDING OUT THE LIGHTS HAD IN FACT BEEN OUT FOR 1 1/2 HRS, IT SURE SOUNDS LIKE A COVER-UP TO ME.

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.