Narrative:

This occurrence took place after I was cleared by ZZZ1 approach to a visual approach to runway xx; ZZZ airport. It was dark but I had the runway (lights). My heading was approximately (as I recall now) 300 degrees. I was told by approach that the airport was at 1 O'clock position. Before I got to final; the runway lights went completely out. There weren't even 'night' lights. I completely lost the runway. I climbed to gain altitude because there were 3 lighted towers downwind to runway yy. I clicked the microphone; but could not get the runway lights back on. I circled the airport knowing from my navigation equipment that I was way over the airport. By the time that I got on downwind for runway xx; I got the lights back on. By the time I finished downwind; base; the lights went out. After numerous attempts at the same action; a pilot called me on (by this time I wasn't sure that I had the correct frequency). I did. He was the county sheriff test flying an aircraft. He suggested I go to ZZZ2. That is less of a good choice; I thought. He told me that approach suggested ZZZ3. At that time I was preoccupied; again with the 'towers;' so I did not change to approach frequency as directed. I felt at that precise moment that I had to aviate. The pilot then noticed that I was 'clicking' too slowly. Following his help; I got the light on; was in a VFR/good place to (almost) straight in runway yy. I have lots of hours landing at night. I have never experienced the light to go out so quickly and so completely. I was 'clicking' the same tempo as always; but that tempo and the lights timer were the biggest contributing factor to not seeing the runway. While it was a clear night; when the lights were out; the airport was a huge black hole. Approach had declared an emergency; but we (I) assured them and the sheriff of a good; lighted landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIVATE PLT RPTS DIFFICULTIES WITH RADIO ACTIVATED RWY LIGHTS.

Narrative: THIS OCCURRENCE TOOK PLACE AFTER I WAS CLRED BY ZZZ1 APCH TO A VISUAL APCH TO RWY XX; ZZZ AIRPORT. IT WAS DARK BUT I HAD THE RWY (LIGHTS). MY HDG WAS APPROX (AS I RECALL NOW) 300 DEGS. I WAS TOLD BY APCH THAT THE ARPT WAS AT 1 O'CLOCK POS. BEFORE I GOT TO FINAL; THE RWY LIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT. THERE WEREN'T EVEN 'NIGHT' LIGHTS. I COMPLETELY LOST THE RWY. I CLBED TO GAIN ALT BECAUSE THERE WERE 3 LIGHTED TWRS DOWNWIND TO RWY YY. I CLICKED THE MIKE; BUT COULD NOT GET THE RWY LIGHTS BACK ON. I CIRCLED THE ARPT KNOWING FROM MY NAV EQUIP THAT I WAS WAY OVER THE ARPT. BY THE TIME THAT I GOT ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY XX; I GOT THE LIGHTS BACK ON. BY THE TIME I FINISHED DOWNWIND; BASE; THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AT THE SAME ACTION; A PLT CALLED ME ON (BY THIS TIME I WASN'T SURE THAT I HAD THE CORRECT FREQ). I DID. HE WAS THE COUNTY SHERIFF TEST FLYING AN ACFT. HE SUGGESTED I GO TO ZZZ2. THAT IS LESS OF A GOOD CHOICE; I THOUGHT. HE TOLD ME THAT APCH SUGGESTED ZZZ3. AT THAT TIME I WAS PREOCCUPIED; AGAIN WITH THE 'TWRS;' SO I DID NOT CHANGE TO APCH FREQ AS DIRECTED. I FELT AT THAT PRECISE MOMENT THAT I HAD TO AVIATE. THE PLT THEN NOTICED THAT I WAS 'CLICKING' TOO SLOWLY. FOLLOWING HIS HELP; I GOT THE LIGHT ON; WAS IN A VFR/GOOD PLACE TO (ALMOST) STRAIGHT IN RWY YY. I HAVE LOTS OF HRS LNDG AT NIGHT. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THE LIGHT TO GO OUT SO QUICKLY AND SO COMPLETELY. I WAS 'CLICKING' THE SAME TEMPO AS ALWAYS; BUT THAT TEMPO AND THE LIGHTS TIMER WERE THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO NOT SEEING THE RWY. WHILE IT WAS A CLR NIGHT; WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE OUT; THE ARPT WAS A HUGE BLACK HOLE. APCH HAD DECLARED AN EMER; BUT WE (I) ASSURED THEM AND THE SHERIFF OF A GOOD; LIGHTED LNDG.

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.