MD80 pilot questions operation(south) of in-surface taxiway caution lights at bwi.

Attributes
ACN	617314
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	617314
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : bwi.tower
Airport	lighting : bwi.airport

Narrative:

Taxiing in after landing, I noticed that on taxiway P at the intersection of runway 4/22 that the yellow runway guard in-pavement flashing lights were not working. I asked ground control why they were not on and the controller said that, because airline X will not cross the guard light without a verbal verification (even in airline X's aircraft is cleared to cross the runway, the flight departments policy requires a radio call), which was becoming a problem for the controllers at bwi, they turned them off and do not use them! I thought these lights were installed to prevent runway incursions! I guess that the air carrier who questions operation at bwi dictates what safety measures will be used. The intersection at taxiway P and runway 4/22 is a difficult one to see day or night (can be seen by the number of skid marks in the area of the runway 22 hold line and taxiway P) and the lights should be on day or night!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 PLT QUESTIONS OP(S) OF IN-SURFACE TXWY CAUTION LIGHTS AT BWI.

Narrative: TAXIING IN AFTER LNDG, I NOTICED THAT ON TXWY P AT THE INTXN OF RWY 4/22 THAT THE YELLOW RWY GUARD IN-PAVEMENT FLASHING LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I ASKED GND CTL WHY THEY WERE NOT ON AND THE CTLR SAID THAT, BECAUSE AIRLINE X WILL NOT CROSS THE GUARD LIGHT WITHOUT A VERBAL VERIFICATION (EVEN IN AIRLINE X'S ACFT IS CLRED TO CROSS THE RWY, THE FLT DEPTS POLICY REQUIRES A RADIO CALL), WHICH WAS BECOMING A PROB FOR THE CTLRS AT BWI, THEY TURNED THEM OFF AND DO NOT USE THEM! I THOUGHT THESE LIGHTS WERE INSTALLED TO PREVENT RWY INCURSIONS! I GUESS THAT THE ACR WHO QUESTIONS OP AT BWI DICTATES WHAT SAFETY MEASURES WILL BE USED. THE INTXN AT TXWY P AND RWY 4/22 IS A DIFFICULT ONE TO SEE DAY OR NIGHT (CAN BE SEEN BY THE NUMBER OF SKID MARKS IN THE AREA OF THE RWY 22 HOLD LINE AND TXWY P) AND THE LIGHTS SHOULD BE ON DAY OR NIGHT!

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.