A B737-300 flight crew lands at a closed ATCT airport without HIRL during an ILS approach to runway ...

Attributes
ACN	537507
Time
Date	200202
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ilm.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Rain Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 35 other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	537507
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Company Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

WX was reported good VFR as center vectored us to the ilm airport (tower closed). We were unable to see the ground, at which time we were vectored to the ILS approach to runway 35, which we intercepted. We activated the pilot controled lighting which we had in sight at about 1200 ft AGL. Visibility was approximately 3 mi. Papis and MALSR lights were working. It was not until we were rolling out on runway 35 that we noticed the runway lights were not on. By the time we noticed they were not lit, we were in reverse and stopping on a wet runway. We continued the landing as the safest option available to us at the time. Factors to consider were the lowering visibility, turbulence, moderate rain, and pilot fatigue (long day). Also, there was no instrument approach for the other runway. The company operations page states that runway lights are on continuously, based on WX conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLC LANDS AT A CLOSED ATCT ARPT WITHOUT HIRL DURING AN ILS APCH TO RWY 35 AT ILM, NC.

Narrative: WX WAS RPTED GOOD VFR AS CTR VECTORED US TO THE ILM ARPT (TWR CLOSED). WE WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE GND, AT WHICH TIME WE WERE VECTORED TO THE ILS APCH TO RWY 35, WHICH WE INTERCEPTED. WE ACTIVATED THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING WHICH WE HAD IN SIGHT AT ABOUT 1200 FT AGL. VISIBILITY WAS APPROX 3 MI. PAPIS AND MALSR LIGHTS WERE WORKING. IT WAS NOT UNTIL WE WERE ROLLING OUT ON RWY 35 THAT WE NOTICED THE RWY LIGHTS WERE NOT ON. BY THE TIME WE NOTICED THEY WERE NOT LIT, WE WERE IN REVERSE AND STOPPING ON A WET RWY. WE CONTINUED THE LNDG AS THE SAFEST OPTION AVAILABLE TO US AT THE TIME. FACTORS TO CONSIDER WERE THE LOWERING VISIBILITY, TURB, MODERATE RAIN, AND PLT FATIGUE (LONG DAY). ALSO, THERE WAS NO INST APCH FOR THE OTHER RWY. THE COMPANY OPS PAGE STATES THAT RWY LIGHTS ARE ON CONTINUOUSLY, BASED ON WX CONDITIONS.

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.

A B737-300 flight crew lands at a closed ATCT airport without HIRL during an ILS approach to runway 35 at ilm, nc.