Narrative:

While being vectored to irl localizer from the southeast at 4000 ft MSL, we reported the field in sight and informed tower we would be unable to descend from our present position. They informed us that we were 4.5 NM from field, at which time we requested vectors for the ILS. We were given a left turn to the southwest. As we turned away from field, I noticed the runway lights being stepped down. This time we were vectored in from southwest at 4000 ft MSL. Inside wle we were cleared to 3000 ft and subsequently instructed to maintain 3000 ft until established and cleared for the ILS runway 35L. Approaching crdnl the localizer was still full scale and the PAPI were indicating well above GS. At this time we disconnected the autoplt, turned further right to intercept, and once established then intercepted the GS from above. At this time the PAPI and approach lights seemed unusually bright over the runway lights. All was normal down to the flare during which time I was looking down the runway at the centerline lights and not at the approach lights as they passed under the nose. After touchdown, I was inside the cockpit until my 80 KTS call following which the captain asked me if the runway lights were on. When I looked up, the runway seemed very dark. This I attributed to the difference of intensity between the approach lights, cockpit EFIS displays and runway lights. As we turned off we slowed and took a hard look at the centerline lights, at which time I saw a very dim glow much lower than a normal step #1 setting it seemed. Ground told us to taxi to the ramp by any route we wished, just so long as we didn't go back out on the active runway 35L. Taxi to ramp was uneventful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER BEING POORLY VECTORED TO THE APCH, AN ACR CREW FINDS THE RWY AND APCH LIGHTING SET AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED TO IRL LOC FROM THE SE AT 4000 FT MSL, WE RPTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND INFORMED TWR WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO DSND FROM OUR PRESENT POS. THEY INFORMED US THAT WE WERE 4.5 NM FROM FIELD, AT WHICH TIME WE REQUESTED VECTORS FOR THE ILS. WE WERE GIVEN A L TURN TO THE SW. AS WE TURNED AWAY FROM FIELD, I NOTICED THE RWY LIGHTS BEING STEPPED DOWN. THIS TIME WE WERE VECTORED IN FROM SW AT 4000 FT MSL. INSIDE WLE WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT AND SUBSEQUENTLY INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED AND CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 35L. APCHING CRDNL THE LOC WAS STILL FULL SCALE AND THE PAPI WERE INDICATING WELL ABOVE GS. AT THIS TIME WE DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, TURNED FURTHER R TO INTERCEPT, AND ONCE ESTABLISHED THEN INTERCEPTED THE GS FROM ABOVE. AT THIS TIME THE PAPI AND APCH LIGHTS SEEMED UNUSUALLY BRIGHT OVER THE RWY LIGHTS. ALL WAS NORMAL DOWN TO THE FLARE DURING WHICH TIME I WAS LOOKING DOWN THE RWY AT THE CTRLINE LIGHTS AND NOT AT THE APCH LIGHTS AS THEY PASSED UNDER THE NOSE. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, I WAS INSIDE THE COCKPIT UNTIL MY 80 KTS CALL FOLLOWING WHICH THE CAPT ASKED ME IF THE RWY LIGHTS WERE ON. WHEN I LOOKED UP, THE RWY SEEMED VERY DARK. THIS I ATTRIBUTED TO THE DIFFERENCE OF INTENSITY BTWN THE APCH LIGHTS, COCKPIT EFIS DISPLAYS AND RWY LIGHTS. AS WE TURNED OFF WE SLOWED AND TOOK A HARD LOOK AT THE CTRLINE LIGHTS, AT WHICH TIME I SAW A VERY DIM GLOW MUCH LOWER THAN A NORMAL STEP #1 SETTING IT SEEMED. GND TOLD US TO TAXI TO THE RAMP BY ANY RTE WE WISHED, JUST SO LONG AS WE DIDN'T GO BACK OUT ON THE ACTIVE RWY 35L. TAXI TO RAMP WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.