Narrative:

I was giving dual instruction at night with a student, who is working on their private pilot license. We had departed at dusk, just prior to sunset, from 7s5 (independence, or). At the time of departure the runway lights were not on and were not required to be so. We flew to S12 (albany, or) and did several night takeoffs and lndgs, completing the night requirement for the student's ppl night privileges. Albany is approximately 20 NM from 7s5. We completed our work at approximately XA30 hours and departed S12 for 7s5. The flight took approximately 15 mins. Upon arriving at 7s5, I gave the student instruction on how to turn on the runway lights, which are pilot controled. After the first try, the lights didn't come on. I tried then, unsuccessfully, to get the lights to come up. They wouldn't respond. I took control and overflew the airport and tried with no success again to get the lights to come on. I overflew again, and made the decision to land, after I had reviewed the airport environment with a fly-over. I entered the pattern for runway 34, with a higher altitude than normal, turned downwind, base and final. The aircraft landing light illuminated the runway 34 and I made a normal landing, turning off on the first taxiway about 1500 ft from the approach end. There was no problem finding the runway, or landing. After securing the aircraft, I phoned mcminnville FSS to report the airport lighting problem. They had not received any information concerning 7s5, so it was timely for them also. I decided to file this report as I am unaware of any regulations that pertain to this situation, but to be safe, I felt it was necessary, as there was no intent on my part to violate any far's. I debriefed with my student about the situation, and discussed safety concerns, and options. The student felt it was a good lesson, as things do not always go as planned.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PLT OF C150 RETURN TO 7S5 TO DISCOVER PLT CTLED RWY LIGHTS WILL NOT ACTIVATE. MAKE CAUTIOUS AND SAFE APCH AND LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS GIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION AT NIGHT WITH A STUDENT, WHO IS WORKING ON THEIR PVT PLT LICENSE. WE HAD DEPARTED AT DUSK, JUST PRIOR TO SUNSET, FROM 7S5 (INDEPENDENCE, OR). AT THE TIME OF DEP THE RWY LIGHTS WERE NOT ON AND WERE NOT REQUIRED TO BE SO. WE FLEW TO S12 (ALBANY, OR) AND DID SEVERAL NIGHT TKOFS AND LNDGS, COMPLETING THE NIGHT REQUIREMENT FOR THE STUDENT'S PPL NIGHT PRIVILEGES. ALBANY IS APPROX 20 NM FROM 7S5. WE COMPLETED OUR WORK AT APPROX XA30 HRS AND DEPARTED S12 FOR 7S5. THE FLT TOOK APPROX 15 MINS. UPON ARRIVING AT 7S5, I GAVE THE STUDENT INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO TURN ON THE RWY LIGHTS, WHICH ARE PLT CTLED. AFTER THE FIRST TRY, THE LIGHTS DIDN'T COME ON. I TRIED THEN, UNSUCCESSFULLY, TO GET THE LIGHTS TO COME UP. THEY WOULDN'T RESPOND. I TOOK CTL AND OVERFLEW THE ARPT AND TRIED WITH NO SUCCESS AGAIN TO GET THE LIGHTS TO COME ON. I OVERFLEW AGAIN, AND MADE THE DECISION TO LAND, AFTER I HAD REVIEWED THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT WITH A FLY-OVER. I ENTERED THE PATTERN FOR RWY 34, WITH A HIGHER ALT THAN NORMAL, TURNED DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL. THE ACFT LNDG LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE RWY 34 AND I MADE A NORMAL LNDG, TURNING OFF ON THE FIRST TXWY ABOUT 1500 FT FROM THE APCH END. THERE WAS NO PROB FINDING THE RWY, OR LNDG. AFTER SECURING THE ACFT, I PHONED MCMINNVILLE FSS TO RPT THE ARPT LIGHTING PROB. THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY INFO CONCERNING 7S5, SO IT WAS TIMELY FOR THEM ALSO. I DECIDED TO FILE THIS RPT AS I AM UNAWARE OF ANY REGS THAT PERTAIN TO THIS SIT, BUT TO BE SAFE, I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY, AS THERE WAS NO INTENT ON MY PART TO VIOLATE ANY FAR'S. I DEBRIEFED WITH MY STUDENT ABOUT THE SIT, AND DISCUSSED SAFETY CONCERNS, AND OPTIONS. THE STUDENT FELT IT WAS A GOOD LESSON, AS THINGS DO NOT ALWAYS GO AS PLANNED.

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.