Narrative:

Received mobile WX approximately 30 mins out. Mobile calling clear skies, winds 340 degrees at 8 KTS. At approximately 20 mins out, ATIS was calling clear skies and winds 340 degrees at 4 KTS. We contacted approach. They advised us the winds were 140 degrees at 4 KTS. Because of the prevailing winds from the north, we requested a visual approach to runway 32 with a left downwind. He cleared us for a visual approach, right downwind and cleared to land. He then informed us that the west edge lights of runway 32 were out. It was the first time that I ever saw 1/2 of all runway edge lights inoperative. We referenced pg 3-6 'runway edge lights inoperative' page of the airway manual. It was night VMC, the WX was clear, the runway had MALSR approach lights, and a VASI was on the l-hand side. Runway did not have centerline lights. Because of the structure of that page and the required lighting section, we were unclr whether centerline lights were required for this approach and landing. The sentence structure leads one to believe that they are not. Because he did have the other required lights and 1/2 of the runway edge lights, I felt that it was absolutely safe to land on runway 32 with these factors taken into consideration and the WX. We flew an uneventful downwind and uneventful base and landing. Parenthetically, no other runway was available (4365 ft). I recommend that this section of the airway manual be clarified so that no ambiguity exists. This leg was the last one of a long day that completed 3 long on-duty days. This contributed to the ambiguity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN ACR MLG LANDED AT NIGHT WITH ONE SIDE OF THE RWY EDGE LIGHTING OUT. FLC QUESTION THE LACK OF CLARIFICATION IN THE WORDING OF THE AIRWAY MANUAL IN DETERMINING THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT OF NECESSARY RWY LIGHTING FOR LNDG.

Narrative: RECEIVED MOBILE WX APPROX 30 MINS OUT. MOBILE CALLING CLR SKIES, WINDS 340 DEGS AT 8 KTS. AT APPROX 20 MINS OUT, ATIS WAS CALLING CLR SKIES AND WINDS 340 DEGS AT 4 KTS. WE CONTACTED APCH. THEY ADVISED US THE WINDS WERE 140 DEGS AT 4 KTS. BECAUSE OF THE PREVAILING WINDS FROM THE N, WE REQUESTED A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 32 WITH A L DOWNWIND. HE CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH, R DOWNWIND AND CLRED TO LAND. HE THEN INFORMED US THAT THE W EDGE LIGHTS OF RWY 32 WERE OUT. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I EVER SAW 1/2 OF ALL RWY EDGE LIGHTS INOP. WE REFED PG 3-6 'RWY EDGE LIGHTS INOP' PAGE OF THE AIRWAY MANUAL. IT WAS NIGHT VMC, THE WX WAS CLR, THE RWY HAD MALSR APCH LIGHTS, AND A VASI WAS ON THE L-HAND SIDE. RWY DID NOT HAVE CTRLINE LIGHTS. BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE OF THAT PAGE AND THE REQUIRED LIGHTING SECTION, WE WERE UNCLR WHETHER CTRLINE LIGHTS WERE REQUIRED FOR THIS APCH AND LNDG. THE SENTENCE STRUCTURE LEADS ONE TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE NOT. BECAUSE HE DID HAVE THE OTHER REQUIRED LIGHTS AND 1/2 OF THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS, I FELT THAT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY SAFE TO LAND ON RWY 32 WITH THESE FACTORS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AND THE WX. WE FLEW AN UNEVENTFUL DOWNWIND AND UNEVENTFUL BASE AND LNDG. PARENTHETICALLY, NO OTHER RWY WAS AVAILABLE (4365 FT). I RECOMMEND THAT THIS SECTION OF THE AIRWAY MANUAL BE CLARIFIED SO THAT NO AMBIGUITY EXISTS. THIS LEG WAS THE LAST ONE OF A LONG DAY THAT COMPLETED 3 LONG ON-DUTY DAYS. THIS CONTRIBUTED TO THE AMBIGUITY.

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.