Phl TRACON controller described hectic traffic period due to approach lighting failure.

Attributes
ACN	723975
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : p50.tracon
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 10 controller radar : 17
ASRS Report	723975
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Weather Airport FAA
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Situations
Airport	lighting : phl.airport

Narrative:

On jan/tue/06 I worked at phl in the tower. The WX was terrible due to unusually warm WX causing a layer of fog that lasted in the area for more than a few days. During the afternoon the runway 9R approach lights (primary runway) failed. During this shift the lights came on intermittently. The harm caused to both the users/flying public as well as the controllers was astronomical. We tried switching to other runways; but rarely had the WX minima to shoot any approachs. We vectored aircraft needlessly waiting for the approach lights to return or the WX minima to increase. There are and will never be any procedures for this type of operation. We spent most of 8-10 hours holding and hoping to return to some sense of normalcy. It was not to be had during the evening shift and the chaos ended when all the arrs either diverted or canceled their flts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PHL TRACON CTLR DESCRIBED HECTIC TFC PERIOD DUE TO APCH LIGHTING FAILURE.

Narrative: ON JAN/TUE/06 I WORKED AT PHL IN THE TWR. THE WX WAS TERRIBLE DUE TO UNUSUALLY WARM WX CAUSING A LAYER OF FOG THAT LASTED IN THE AREA FOR MORE THAN A FEW DAYS. DURING THE AFTERNOON THE RWY 9R APCH LIGHTS (PRIMARY RWY) FAILED. DURING THIS SHIFT THE LIGHTS CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE HARM CAUSED TO BOTH THE USERS/FLYING PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE CTLRS WAS ASTRONOMICAL. WE TRIED SWITCHING TO OTHER RWYS; BUT RARELY HAD THE WX MINIMA TO SHOOT ANY APCHS. WE VECTORED ACFT NEEDLESSLY WAITING FOR THE APCH LIGHTS TO RETURN OR THE WX MINIMA TO INCREASE. THERE ARE AND WILL NEVER BE ANY PROCS FOR THIS TYPE OF OP. WE SPENT MOST OF 8-10 HRS HOLDING AND HOPING TO RETURN TO SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY. IT WAS NOT TO BE HAD DURING THE EVENING SHIFT AND THE CHAOS ENDED WHEN ALL THE ARRS EITHER DIVERTED OR CANCELED THEIR FLTS.

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.