Runway lights inoperative at night, but runway visible to flight crew. Flight landed.

Attributes
ACN	120592
Time
Date	198908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	120529
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Leaving san we were told runway lights, runway 27, out. Lights to other runways VASI to 27, and all taxi lights working normally. We checked with company dispatcher and he informed us that airport was still open and that regulations permit us to land. We read section in our flight operations manual and agreed. We saw airport throughout entire approach and could see runway from minimums to T/D (including runway centerline stripe). I see no problems with the landing, but so many regulations are involved one never knows if all met my attention. Landing was very safe, but I write this report to state that regulations in many areas are vague and complicated. When in the air you must also rely on ground dispatcher interpretation as well. Being very familiar with the field and having visibility contact with the runway at all times, I feel this procedure is safe and very acceptable, but there were many questions of interpretation. I feel the local tower decision to keep the airport open, dispatcher confirmation of regulation, and all visibility reference to the runway made it safe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY LIGHTS INOPERATIVE AT NIGHT, BUT RWY VISIBLE TO FLT CREW. FLT LANDED.

Narrative: LEAVING SAN WE WERE TOLD RWY LIGHTS, RWY 27, OUT. LIGHTS TO OTHER RWYS VASI TO 27, AND ALL TAXI LIGHTS WORKING NORMALLY. WE CHKED WITH COMPANY DISPATCHER AND HE INFORMED US THAT ARPT WAS STILL OPEN AND THAT REGS PERMIT US TO LAND. WE READ SECTION IN OUR FLT OPS MANUAL AND AGREED. WE SAW ARPT THROUGHOUT ENTIRE APCH AND COULD SEE RWY FROM MINIMUMS TO T/D (INCLUDING RWY CENTERLINE STRIPE). I SEE NO PROBS WITH THE LNDG, BUT SO MANY REGS ARE INVOLVED ONE NEVER KNOWS IF ALL MET MY ATTN. LNDG WAS VERY SAFE, BUT I WRITE THIS RPT TO STATE THAT REGS IN MANY AREAS ARE VAGUE AND COMPLICATED. WHEN IN THE AIR YOU MUST ALSO RELY ON GND DISPATCHER INTERP AS WELL. BEING VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD AND HAVING VIS CONTACT WITH THE RWY AT ALL TIMES, I FEEL THIS PROC IS SAFE AND VERY ACCEPTABLE, BUT THERE WERE MANY QUESTIONS OF INTERP. I FEEL THE LCL TWR DECISION TO KEEP THE ARPT OPEN, DISPATCHER CONFIRMATION OF REG, AND ALL VIS REF TO THE RWY MADE IT SAFE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.