Narrative:

I was the PF on a flight from koa to lax. As we taxied onto runway 35 for takeoff, we were watching a B737 on a taxiway about 3000 ft up the runway. It was just sitting there as we taxied by and we could not tell if it was clear of the runway until we taxied into takeoff position. As we did so, the B737 taxied ahead, well clear of the runway, and we added power as we centered up for takeoff. Aircraft control was passed to me (first officer) as we lined up, and I set takeoff power. As I did so, I noted that the runway light's timer had expired and the runway lights were now off. I clicked the microphone 5 times to reset the lights and told the captain as I did so. The lights came on, as normal, and we continued the takeoff uneventfully. The lights are always on a timer at koa when the tower is closed, and it is normal for the pilots to set them prior to takeoff. We neglected to do so prior to takeoff. Contributing factors were: the distraction of the B737 sitting on a taxiway near the runway, and the very bright night which allowed us to clearly see the runway without the lights being on. My only suggestion to prevent this from recurring is to add a note to the company 10-7 page advising the pilots to reset the runway lights timer as they taxi out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FO RPTED THAT, DEPARTING KOA, THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING TIMED OUT DURING TKOF.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF ON A FLT FROM KOA TO LAX. AS WE TAXIED ONTO RWY 35 FOR TKOF, WE WERE WATCHING A B737 ON A TXWY ABOUT 3000 FT UP THE RWY. IT WAS JUST SITTING THERE AS WE TAXIED BY AND WE COULD NOT TELL IF IT WAS CLR OF THE RWY UNTIL WE TAXIED INTO TKOF POS. AS WE DID SO, THE B737 TAXIED AHEAD, WELL CLR OF THE RWY, AND WE ADDED PWR AS WE CTRED UP FOR TKOF. ACFT CTL WAS PASSED TO ME (FO) AS WE LINED UP, AND I SET TKOF PWR. AS I DID SO, I NOTED THAT THE RWY LIGHT'S TIMER HAD EXPIRED AND THE RWY LIGHTS WERE NOW OFF. I CLICKED THE MIKE 5 TIMES TO RESET THE LIGHTS AND TOLD THE CAPT AS I DID SO. THE LIGHTS CAME ON, AS NORMAL, AND WE CONTINUED THE TKOF UNEVENTFULLY. THE LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON A TIMER AT KOA WHEN THE TWR IS CLOSED, AND IT IS NORMAL FOR THE PLTS TO SET THEM PRIOR TO TKOF. WE NEGLECTED TO DO SO PRIOR TO TKOF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE DISTR OF THE B737 SITTING ON A TXWY NEAR THE RWY, AND THE VERY BRIGHT NIGHT WHICH ALLOWED US TO CLRLY SEE THE RWY WITHOUT THE LIGHTS BEING ON. MY ONLY SUGGESTION TO PREVENT THIS FROM RECURRING IS TO ADD A NOTE TO THE COMPANY 10-7 PAGE ADVISING THE PLTS TO RESET THE RWY LIGHTS TIMER AS THEY TAXI OUT.

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.