Flight crew of a B727 landed at night without runway edge lighting due to the tower controller not leaving the runway lighting switch in the pilot controled lighting position.

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Attributes
ACN	430893
Time
Date	199903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bzn.airport
State Reference	MT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	430893
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

After breaking out of an overcast (5000 ft AGL) 'clicked' on 'airport' lights at bzn, mt. Aircraft was coming in on victor 343 from the south, approach lights in sight for runway 12. Requested 'visual' approach from ZLC -- request approved. At 90 degrees to runway, runway lights are not normally visible. They are usually 'directional' (ie, seen within 30-40 degrees on final approach. Runway edge lights not visible. VASI and approach lights on high. Continued approach to landing. Runway easily visible. After misinterping 'air carrier flight operations manual' for 'ok' authority/authorized. Landing uneventful. Lights reported out to local auths. Found 'switch' in tower not in 'pilot controled lighting' position. Approach lights and VASI not controled by same switch. Tower personnel had left tower at.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727 LANDED AT NIGHT WITHOUT RWY EDGE LIGHTING DUE TO THE TWR CTLR NOT LEAVING THE RWY LIGHTING SWITCH IN THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING POS.

Narrative: AFTER BREAKING OUT OF AN OVCST (5000 FT AGL) 'CLICKED' ON 'ARPT' LIGHTS AT BZN, MT. ACFT WAS COMING IN ON VICTOR 343 FROM THE S, APCH LIGHTS IN SIGHT FOR RWY 12. REQUESTED 'VISUAL' APCH FROM ZLC -- REQUEST APPROVED. AT 90 DEGS TO RWY, RWY LIGHTS ARE NOT NORMALLY VISIBLE. THEY ARE USUALLY 'DIRECTIONAL' (IE, SEEN WITHIN 30-40 DEGS ON FINAL APCH. RWY EDGE LIGHTS NOT VISIBLE. VASI AND APCH LIGHTS ON HIGH. CONTINUED APCH TO LNDG. RWY EASILY VISIBLE. AFTER MISINTERPING 'ACR FLT OPS MANUAL' FOR 'OK' AUTH. LNDG UNEVENTFUL. LIGHTS RPTED OUT TO LCL AUTHS. FOUND 'SWITCH' IN TWR NOT IN 'PLT CTLED LIGHTING' POS. APCH LIGHTS AND VASI NOT CTLED BY SAME SWITCH. TWR PERSONNEL HAD LEFT TWR AT.

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.