Narrative:

We were in the terminal phase of flight into toluca, mexico, when we were notified that the runway lights were OTS. It was still daylight, so we elected to continue. We asked them to confirm what time sunset was. They said XA50Z. We determined that we could complete the approach and landing within the approximately 30 mins after sunset when nighttime officially begins. At some point after that, they told us the runway was closed. We queried them, and they told us we could begin the approach at our discretion. When we were on the final approach segment before the final approach fix, we had the runway environment and PAPI in sight. We were cleared to land at our discretion. We completed a stabilized approach and uneventful landing at XB01Z. I wanted to submit this report because of the confusion between the difference in clrncs and information given by the controllers.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN E145 CAPT RPTS ON CONFUSION WITH REGARD TO MMTO TWR'S CLRNC CONCERNING STATUS OF RWY.

Narrative: WE WERE IN THE TERMINAL PHASE OF FLT INTO TOLUCA, MEXICO, WHEN WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE RWY LIGHTS WERE OTS. IT WAS STILL DAYLIGHT, SO WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE. WE ASKED THEM TO CONFIRM WHAT TIME SUNSET WAS. THEY SAID XA50Z. WE DETERMINED THAT WE COULD COMPLETE THE APCH AND LNDG WITHIN THE APPROX 30 MINS AFTER SUNSET WHEN NIGHTTIME OFFICIALLY BEGINS. AT SOME POINT AFTER THAT, THEY TOLD US THE RWY WAS CLOSED. WE QUERIED THEM, AND THEY TOLD US WE COULD BEGIN THE APCH AT OUR DISCRETION. WHEN WE WERE ON THE FINAL APCH SEGMENT BEFORE THE FINAL APCH FIX, WE HAD THE RWY ENVIRONMENT AND PAPI IN SIGHT. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND AT OUR DISCRETION. WE COMPLETED A STABILIZED APCH AND UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT XB01Z. I WANTED TO SUBMIT THIS RPT BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION BTWN THE DIFFERENCE IN CLRNCS AND INFO GIVEN BY THE CTLRS.

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.