Narrative:

While working the local control position; a king air was inbound on a three (3) mile final when the airfield lights went out. The airfield lights are controlled by pilot controlled lighting; due to the fact we are in a temporary tower; this is the third time this has happened to myself. This creates an unsafe situation and from my understanding the lights have gone out on others while aircraft are on approach and on departing aircraft due to the time restriction the pilot controlled lighting system has on them. We cannot access the field lighting control panel due to the overhaul of our control tower; and asbestos removal currently in progress. These factors have been brought to the attention of airport administration with no action or resolution. This situation creates another factor in that now the controller has to not only watch the arriving and departing aircraft but also ensure that the field lights stay on during those operations. I have also had them go out while an aircraft was taxiing out for departure and in to the ramp for parking. Again this in itself creates a situation where the pilot can misjudge a turn and depart the taxiway creating a surface related incident.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the lighting situation; as described; is still occurring; adding that the ATC emergency generator is also controlled from the tower cabin attendant that is under construction and not accessible to ATC personnel. The reporter indicated that if the airport would manually operate the lights; and be available for emergency generator operations during tower hours; the problem would be minimized.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LCH CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT WHEN RWY LIGHTS SHUT OFF AS ACFT WAS ON FINAL BECAUSE OF TEMPORARY USE OF PCL DURING TWR CONSTRUCTION.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE LOCAL CONTROL POSITION; A KING AIR WAS INBOUND ON A THREE (3) MILE FINAL WHEN THE AIRFIELD LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE AIRFIELD LIGHTS ARE CONTROLLED BY PCL; DUE TO THE FACT WE ARE IN A TEMPORARY TOWER; THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MYSELF. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE SITUATION AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THE LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT ON OTHERS WHILE AIRCRAFT ARE ON APPROACH AND ON DEPARTING AIRCRAFT DUE TO THE TIME RESTRICTION THE PILOT CONTROLLED LIGHTING SYSTEM HAS ON THEM. WE CANNOT ACCESS THE FIELD LIGHTING CONTROL PANEL DUE TO THE OVERHAUL OF OUR CONTROL TOWER; AND ASBESTOS REMOVAL CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS. THESE FACTORS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF AIRPORT ADMINISTRATION WITH NO ACTION OR RESOLUTION. THIS SITUATION CREATES ANOTHER FACTOR IN THAT NOW THE CONTROLLER HAS TO NOT ONLY WATCH THE ARRIVING AND DEPARTING AIRCRAFT BUT ALSO ENSURE THAT THE FIELD LIGHTS STAY ON DURING THOSE OPERATIONS. I HAVE ALSO HAD THEM GO OUT WHILE AN AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIING OUT FOR DEPARTURE AND IN TO THE RAMP FOR PARKING. AGAIN THIS IN ITSELF CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE PILOT CAN MISJUDGE A TURN AND DEPART THE TAXIWAY CREATING A SURFACE RELATED INCIDENT.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE LIGHTING SITUATION; AS DESCRIBED; IS STILL OCCURRING; ADDING THAT THE ATC EMER GENERATOR IS ALSO CONTROLLED FROM THE TWR CAB THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND NOT ACCESSIBLE TO ATC PERSONNEL. THE RPTR INDICATED THAT IF THE ARPT WOULD MANUALLY OPERATE THE LIGHTS; AND BE AVAILABLE FOR EMER GENERATOR OPS DURING TWR HOURS; THE PROB WOULD BE MINIMIZED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.