Aircraft were executing missed approach procedures because runway lights were inoperative.

Attributes
ACN	274366
Time
Date	199406
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : ord tower : alb
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	274366
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On approach to ILS 9R at ord around dusk, all runway lights and taxiway lights went out on the south side of the field. Simultaneous visual approachs were in progress to runways 9L, 9R and 4R at ord. When the lights went out approach and tower continued clearing aircraft for the approachs to (runways 9R and 4R) and tower clearing aircraft to land. Many aircraft were executing missed approached or gars simultaneously off runways 9R and 4R creating a serious safety hazard. Some aircraft continued to land without runway lights. The approachs should have been stopped. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was on approach to runway 9R at 3 mi out when lights went out. The flight crew continued the approach and landed safely without any incident. Reporter concern was that too many aircraft were going around with tower giving them headings to fly and it was a work overload for the approach and tower controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WERE EXECUTING MISSED APCH PROCS BECAUSE RWY LIGHTS WERE INOP.

Narrative: ON APCH TO ILS 9R AT ORD AROUND DUSK, ALL RWY LIGHTS AND TXWY LIGHTS WENT OUT ON THE S SIDE OF THE FIELD. SIMULTANEOUS VISUAL APCHS WERE IN PROGRESS TO RWYS 9L, 9R AND 4R AT ORD. WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT APCH AND TWR CONTINUED CLRING ACFT FOR THE APCHS TO (RWYS 9R AND 4R) AND TWR CLRING ACFT TO LAND. MANY ACFT WERE EXECUTING MISSED APCHED OR GARS SIMULTANEOUSLY OFF RWYS 9R AND 4R CREATING A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. SOME ACFT CONTINUED TO LAND WITHOUT RWY LIGHTS. THE APCHS SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS ON APCH TO RWY 9R AT 3 MI OUT WHEN LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE FLC CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. RPTR CONCERN WAS THAT TOO MANY ACFT WERE GOING AROUND WITH TWR GIVING THEM HDGS TO FLY AND IT WAS A WORK OVERLOAD FOR THE APCH AND TWR CTLRS.

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.