Narrative:

Air carrier X was expecting the visual approach into dec by ZAU. I saw airport rotating beacon about 6 mi from the runway, but no runway lights. Was cleared for the visual approach by center. Decided to cancel IFR and switched to the CTAF (as the tower was not open yet). Tried several times to increase the runway light intensity by clicking microphone appropriate times -- no change in intensity. Finally picked up the runway about 4 mi out. Landed uneventfully. Taxied to the ramp. About 10 mins later, was taxiing for departure and talking to dec ground. While I taxied, my first officer told ground that we were unable to increase runway light intensity inbound. Ground controller stated that she had switched the control of runway lights from pilot controled to tower controled before the tower had opened (approximately XA50 am, the tower opens at XB00 am). I did not think this was right so I called tower on the phone after reaching my destination. She reiterated what she had done, stating 'I need to switch the control of the lights before the tower opens because all the runway and taxi lights momentarily go dark when I make the switch.' the problem here is that as pilots, we are guaranteed pilot controled lighting as per the airport facility directory, and that is until the tower opens, at XB00 am. We cannot guarantee that there is anyone in the tower to raise the light intensity, so asking the tower to do that (raise the intensity) is possibly futile. We just so happened to be in VFR conditions, but it could have been different if we were IMC and expecting approach lights or high intensity runway lights.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADIO CTLED RWY LIGHTS WHEN TWR CLOSED.

Narrative: ACR X WAS EXPECTING THE VISUAL APCH INTO DEC BY ZAU. I SAW ARPT ROTATING BEACON ABOUT 6 MI FROM THE RWY, BUT NO RWY LIGHTS. WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH BY CTR. DECIDED TO CANCEL IFR AND SWITCHED TO THE CTAF (AS THE TWR WAS NOT OPEN YET). TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO INCREASE THE RWY LIGHT INTENSITY BY CLICKING MIKE APPROPRIATE TIMES -- NO CHANGE IN INTENSITY. FINALLY PICKED UP THE RWY ABOUT 4 MI OUT. LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. TAXIED TO THE RAMP. ABOUT 10 MINS LATER, WAS TAXIING FOR DEP AND TALKING TO DEC GND. WHILE I TAXIED, MY FO TOLD GND THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO INCREASE RWY LIGHT INTENSITY INBOUND. GND CTLR STATED THAT SHE HAD SWITCHED THE CTL OF RWY LIGHTS FROM PLT CTLED TO TWR CTLED BEFORE THE TWR HAD OPENED (APPROX XA50 AM, THE TWR OPENS AT XB00 AM). I DID NOT THINK THIS WAS RIGHT SO I CALLED TWR ON THE PHONE AFTER REACHING MY DEST. SHE REITERATED WHAT SHE HAD DONE, STATING 'I NEED TO SWITCH THE CTL OF THE LIGHTS BEFORE THE TWR OPENS BECAUSE ALL THE RWY AND TAXI LIGHTS MOMENTARILY GO DARK WHEN I MAKE THE SWITCH.' THE PROB HERE IS THAT AS PLTS, WE ARE GUARANTEED PLT CTLED LIGHTING AS PER THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY, AND THAT IS UNTIL THE TWR OPENS, AT XB00 AM. WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THERE IS ANYONE IN THE TWR TO RAISE THE LIGHT INTENSITY, SO ASKING THE TWR TO DO THAT (RAISE THE INTENSITY) IS POSSIBLY FUTILE. WE JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE IN VFR CONDITIONS, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF WE WERE IMC AND EXPECTING APCH LIGHTS OR HIGH INTENSITY RWY LIGHTS.

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