Narrative:

Runway edge lights went out during approach of aircraft in front of us and remained out through our landing and lndgs of others behind us. Approach lights, centerline lights and ILS were functional. We were cleared for ILS approach to runway 8L. WX was VMC (1200 ft overcast 4 SM visibility). I and check airman accompanying me felt landing could be accomplished as did other pilots before and after us. After landing the question arose again as to the strict legality of the landing. Company manuals allow landing under these conditions using a visual approach. The question is having been cleared an ILS approach is it a visual approach or an ILS under VMC when one breaks out below the overcast? No real safety issues here as the approach and landing were conducted with clearly adequate visual references. I felt certain that the requirements to continue and land had all been met. My check airman was fairly certain but a little less so than I. Supplemental information from acn 393423: quick decision amongst crew, trying to remember 'the rules.' choppy, gusty conditions and ceiling 1200 ft left no time to 'review,' but VFR 'below' and reported same.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727-232 LANDS OUT OF AN ILS ON A RWY THAT HAD NO RWY EDGE LIGHTS (HIRL) IN SVC. CREW DEBATED FOR A SHORT MOMENT AS TO THE LEGALITY OF SUCH AN OP AT NIGHT. LIGHTS WERE OTS DUE TO THE WX SYS PASSING THROUGH.

Narrative: RWY EDGE LIGHTS WENT OUT DURING APCH OF ACFT IN FRONT OF US AND REMAINED OUT THROUGH OUR LNDG AND LNDGS OF OTHERS BEHIND US. APCH LIGHTS, CTRLINE LIGHTS AND ILS WERE FUNCTIONAL. WE WERE CLRED FOR ILS APCH TO RWY 8L. WX WAS VMC (1200 FT OVCST 4 SM VISIBILITY). I AND CHK AIRMAN ACCOMPANYING ME FELT LNDG COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED AS DID OTHER PLTS BEFORE AND AFTER US. AFTER LNDG THE QUESTION AROSE AGAIN AS TO THE STRICT LEGALITY OF THE LNDG. COMPANY MANUALS ALLOW LNDG UNDER THESE CONDITIONS USING A VISUAL APCH. THE QUESTION IS HAVING BEEN CLRED AN ILS APCH IS IT A VISUAL APCH OR AN ILS UNDER VMC WHEN ONE BREAKS OUT BELOW THE OVCST? NO REAL SAFETY ISSUES HERE AS THE APCH AND LNDG WERE CONDUCTED WITH CLEARLY ADEQUATE VISUAL REFS. I FELT CERTAIN THAT THE REQUIREMENTS TO CONTINUE AND LAND HAD ALL BEEN MET. MY CHK AIRMAN WAS FAIRLY CERTAIN BUT A LITTLE LESS SO THAN I. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 393423: QUICK DECISION AMONGST CREW, TRYING TO REMEMBER 'THE RULES.' CHOPPY, GUSTY CONDITIONS AND CEILING 1200 FT LEFT NO TIME TO 'REVIEW,' BUT VFR 'BELOW' AND RPTED SAME.

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.