Narrative:

After breaking out at about 1200 ft AGL on the ILS 35 at ilm, we activated the pilot controled lighting and saw the PAPI and MALSR light up. With reduced visibility due to rain and low ceilings in addition to gusty winds, our attention was devoted to flying the approach (hand flown). As we neared the runway, our landing lights lit up the touchdown zone and we landed normally. It was only after we were rolling out that we both realized that the runway edge lights were not lit. The PAPI, MALSR, and taxiway lights were lit. Both the captain and myself have 40+ yrs combined experience with the airline, yet neither of us noticed the lights weren't working. Our company airport information page tells us 'runway lights are left on continuously based on WX conditions.' contributing factors: 1) fatigue. 2) reduced visibility/gusty wind, high workload. 3) actually observing the MALSR/PAPI light up after we actuated them (many times the runway edge lights wouldn't be seen at that time due to visibility). 4) tower was closed causing the runway to be unmonitored. Runway 6 was lighted but unusable because no instrument approach available. Both runways should always be lighted. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: an ilm airport official revealed that when the tower closes, runway 17/35 is the only runway with remote controled lighting. Activating the system is accomplished by tuning in the tower frequency and keying the microphone. 3 clicks of the microphone will bring the HIRL to a #3 intensity. Keying a 4TH and 5TH time steps up the intensity, with #5 being the highest. Further keying of the microphone does not increase the intensity further nor does it turn the lights off. It was also explained that in addition to runway 17/35 HIRL coming on, the MALSR to runway 35, the REIL for runway 24, and taxiway a lights are also illuminated. The VASI for runways 6, 24, and 17, along with the PAPI to runway 35 are on continuously. The lights automatically extinguish 15 mins after the first keying of the microphone. Relighting is accomplished by starting the process over again. When WX dictates, runway 6/24 HIRL will be turned on by tower personnel. Lighting operation is checked daily by maintenance.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CREW, AFTER LNDG AT ILM, REALIZING THE HIRL FOR RWY 35-17 WERE NOT ILLUMINATED.

Narrative: AFTER BREAKING OUT AT ABOUT 1200 FT AGL ON THE ILS 35 AT ILM, WE ACTIVATED THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING AND SAW THE PAPI AND MALSR LIGHT UP. WITH REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO RAIN AND LOW CEILINGS IN ADDITION TO GUSTY WINDS, OUR ATTN WAS DEVOTED TO FLYING THE APCH (HAND FLOWN). AS WE NEARED THE RWY, OUR LNDG LIGHTS LIT UP THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE AND WE LANDED NORMALLY. IT WAS ONLY AFTER WE WERE ROLLING OUT THAT WE BOTH REALIZED THAT THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS WERE NOT LIT. THE PAPI, MALSR, AND TXWY LIGHTS WERE LIT. BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF HAVE 40+ YRS COMBINED EXPERIENCE WITH THE AIRLINE, YET NEITHER OF US NOTICED THE LIGHTS WEREN'T WORKING. OUR COMPANY ARPT INFO PAGE TELLS US 'RWY LIGHTS ARE LEFT ON CONTINUOUSLY BASED ON WX CONDITIONS.' CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) FATIGUE. 2) REDUCED VISIBILITY/GUSTY WIND, HIGH WORKLOAD. 3) ACTUALLY OBSERVING THE MALSR/PAPI LIGHT UP AFTER WE ACTUATED THEM (MANY TIMES THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS WOULDN'T BE SEEN AT THAT TIME DUE TO VISIBILITY). 4) TWR WAS CLOSED CAUSING THE RWY TO BE UNMONITORED. RWY 6 WAS LIGHTED BUT UNUSABLE BECAUSE NO INST APCH AVAILABLE. BOTH RWYS SHOULD ALWAYS BE LIGHTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: AN ILM ARPT OFFICIAL REVEALED THAT WHEN THE TWR CLOSES, RWY 17/35 IS THE ONLY RWY WITH REMOTE CTLED LIGHTING. ACTIVATING THE SYS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY TUNING IN THE TWR FREQ AND KEYING THE MIKE. 3 CLICKS OF THE MIKE WILL BRING THE HIRL TO A #3 INTENSITY. KEYING A 4TH AND 5TH TIME STEPS UP THE INTENSITY, WITH #5 BEING THE HIGHEST. FURTHER KEYING OF THE MIKE DOES NOT INCREASE THE INTENSITY FURTHER NOR DOES IT TURN THE LIGHTS OFF. IT WAS ALSO EXPLAINED THAT IN ADDITION TO RWY 17/35 HIRL COMING ON, THE MALSR TO RWY 35, THE REIL FOR RWY 24, AND TXWY A LIGHTS ARE ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE VASI FOR RWYS 6, 24, AND 17, ALONG WITH THE PAPI TO RWY 35 ARE ON CONTINUOUSLY. THE LIGHTS AUTOMATICALLY EXTINGUISH 15 MINS AFTER THE FIRST KEYING OF THE MIKE. RELIGHTING IS ACCOMPLISHED BY STARTING THE PROCESS OVER AGAIN. WHEN WX DICTATES, RWY 6/24 HIRL WILL BE TURNED ON BY TWR PERSONNEL. LIGHTING OP IS CHKED DAILY BY MAINT.

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.