Narrative:

On a clear night upon our return to jfk, after originally being directed to hold, then changed to runway 31R from runway 22L, we were directed to the visual to runway 31L. Although not asked, we accepted the visual to runway 31L to help traffic flow. The ILS to runway 31L was not turned on, there are no VASI lights, and the landing threshold is displaced approximately 3500 ft. To top off the fact that there was no GS guidance at all, there are also no threshold lights, making it very difficult to distinguish the landing zone. I believe that accepting a visual to runway 31L at night is not a good idea. I suggest that approach control keep the ILS turned on and that threshold lights be added to delineate the landing zone to prevent landing before the threshold.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 ON APCH TO JFK WITH 3 RWY CHANGES, RPTR FO FAULTS ARPT BECAUSE RWY 31L HAD NO ILS TURNED ON NOR VASI NOR THRESHOLD LIGHTS. AND, THE THRESHOLD WAS DISPLACED 3500 FT.

Narrative: ON A CLR NIGHT UPON OUR RETURN TO JFK, AFTER ORIGINALLY BEING DIRECTED TO HOLD, THEN CHANGED TO RWY 31R FROM RWY 22L, WE WERE DIRECTED TO THE VISUAL TO RWY 31L. ALTHOUGH NOT ASKED, WE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL TO RWY 31L TO HELP TFC FLOW. THE ILS TO RWY 31L WAS NOT TURNED ON, THERE ARE NO VASI LIGHTS, AND THE LNDG THRESHOLD IS DISPLACED APPROX 3500 FT. TO TOP OFF THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO GS GUIDANCE AT ALL, THERE ARE ALSO NO THRESHOLD LIGHTS, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH THE LNDG ZONE. I BELIEVE THAT ACCEPTING A VISUAL TO RWY 31L AT NIGHT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. I SUGGEST THAT APCH CTL KEEP THE ILS TURNED ON AND THAT THRESHOLD LIGHTS BE ADDED TO DELINEATE THE LNDG ZONE TO PREVENT LNDG BEFORE THE THRESHOLD.

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.