Narrative:

Due to last summer's weather; the airport authority for sitka; alaska; have not repainted the runway markings. At night in bad weather the only visual cues are the VASI (which half of the display is presently out) and the runway lights. The rest of the runway environment was darker than the inside of a cow with its eyes closed and tail down. The landing lights reflected off of the rain on the runway just barely enough to give the first officer (who had never been to sitka before that night) the visual cue to flare in time. I doubt that with the current lack of markings classify this runway as marked for IFR or night operations let alone both. Nor does this runway qualify for reduced takeoff minimums since there is no centerline or runway distance markings. Repaint runway as soon as possible. Issue NOTAMS to inform crews of missing runway markings. Consider raising minimums for IFR approaches. Raise minimums for IFR departures. Fix VASI lights that are out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ON NIGHT APCH TO SIT FLARES JUST IN TIME TO AVOID A HARD LNDG DUE TO ISSUES WITH VISUAL CUES. RPTR CLAIMS RWY MARKINGS REQUIRE RE-PAINTING.

Narrative: DUE TO LAST SUMMER'S WEATHER; THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY FOR SITKA; ALASKA; HAVE NOT REPAINTED THE RUNWAY MARKINGS. AT NIGHT IN BAD WEATHER THE ONLY VISUAL CUES ARE THE VASI (WHICH HALF OF THE DISPLAY IS PRESENTLY OUT) AND THE RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE REST OF THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT WAS DARKER THAN THE INSIDE OF A COW WITH ITS EYES CLOSED AND TAIL DOWN. THE LANDING LIGHTS REFLECTED OFF OF THE RAIN ON THE RUNWAY JUST BARELY ENOUGH TO GIVE THE FIRST OFFICER (WHO HAD NEVER BEEN TO SITKA BEFORE THAT NIGHT) THE VISUAL CUE TO FLARE IN TIME. I DOUBT THAT WITH THE CURRENT LACK OF MARKINGS CLASSIFY THIS RUNWAY AS MARKED FOR IFR OR NIGHT OPERATIONS LET ALONE BOTH. NOR DOES THIS RUNWAY QUALIFY FOR REDUCED TAKEOFF MINIMUMS SINCE THERE IS NO CENTERLINE OR RUNWAY DISTANCE MARKINGS. REPAINT RUNWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ISSUE NOTAMS TO INFORM CREWS OF MISSING RUNWAY MARKINGS. CONSIDER RAISING MINIMUMS FOR IFR APPROACHES. RAISE MINIMUMS FOR IFR DEPARTURES. FIX VASI LIGHTS THAT ARE OUT.

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.