Narrative:

We had been on duty over 11 hours and had accumulated 7 hours 35 mins in block hours at this point because of WX related delays. We arrived late to our aircraft; the last scheduled leg of the day from ZZZ to lex. I reviewed the NOTAMS for lex and found the following: 22 ILS gp OTS; 4/22 rcll OTS; 4/22 ungrooved; 'alert' 4/22 distance remaining signs OTS...also runway 4/22 PAPI OTS...for runway 22 VASI is decommissioned and REIL is OTS. The latest lex surface report I had was: XA00Z 160 degrees at 20 KTS gusting to 25 KTS; 10 SM; RA broken 075 broken 100 19/17 altimeter 2980. Forecast for our time of arrival: 180 degrees at 13 KTS 6 SM -RA br FEW005 overcast 040. Winds precluded use of runway 4 which had the following NOTAMS: runway 4 localizer OTS; runway 4 ALS. I contacted the dispatcher to confirm that the NOTAMS I had were correct. I then consulted with the duty pilot concerning the operation. My primary concern was the lighting at lex and the lack of gp information. The duty pilot advised that the airway manual did not prohibit the operation; but that it was my call. I decided not to operate the flight. My reasons are as follows: no ILS GS; no visual GS; runway wet and not grooved; no rcll; no REIL; no runway remaining markers. I also considered the following: I have less than 100 hours total in the MD88. We were at the end of a long duty day. I have operated into lex as a B727 and B737-200 captain; and found the airport to be especially challenging at night; even when all available navaids and lighting are available. My conclusion is that night air carrier operation at lex with the current ground based equipment OTS should be suspended until all ground based lighting and navaids are in service. I believe there is insufficient safety margin for night operation under present conditions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 CAPT SUGGESTS RESTRICTING NIGHTTIME ACR SVC TO LEX BECAUSE RWY 4-22 ILS GS; RCLL; REIL; PAPI; AND VASI ARE OTS.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN ON DUTY OVER 11 HRS AND HAD ACCUMULATED 7 HRS 35 MINS IN BLOCK HRS AT THIS POINT BECAUSE OF WX RELATED DELAYS. WE ARRIVED LATE TO OUR ACFT; THE LAST SCHEDULED LEG OF THE DAY FROM ZZZ TO LEX. I REVIEWED THE NOTAMS FOR LEX AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING: 22 ILS GP OTS; 4/22 RCLL OTS; 4/22 UNGROOVED; 'ALERT' 4/22 DISTANCE REMAINING SIGNS OTS...ALSO RWY 4/22 PAPI OTS...FOR RWY 22 VASI IS DECOMMISSIONED AND REIL IS OTS. THE LATEST LEX SURFACE RPT I HAD WAS: XA00Z 160 DEGS AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 25 KTS; 10 SM; RA BROKEN 075 BROKEN 100 19/17 ALTIMETER 2980. FORECAST FOR OUR TIME OF ARR: 180 DEGS AT 13 KTS 6 SM -RA BR FEW005 OVCST 040. WINDS PRECLUDED USE OF RWY 4 WHICH HAD THE FOLLOWING NOTAMS: RWY 4 LOC OTS; RWY 4 ALS. I CONTACTED THE DISPATCHER TO CONFIRM THAT THE NOTAMS I HAD WERE CORRECT. I THEN CONSULTED WITH THE DUTY PLT CONCERNING THE OP. MY PRIMARY CONCERN WAS THE LIGHTING AT LEX AND THE LACK OF GP INFO. THE DUTY PLT ADVISED THAT THE AIRWAY MANUAL DID NOT PROHIBIT THE OP; BUT THAT IT WAS MY CALL. I DECIDED NOT TO OPERATE THE FLT. MY REASONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: NO ILS GS; NO VISUAL GS; RWY WET AND NOT GROOVED; NO RCLL; NO REIL; NO RWY REMAINING MARKERS. I ALSO CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING: I HAVE LESS THAN 100 HRS TOTAL IN THE MD88. WE WERE AT THE END OF A LONG DUTY DAY. I HAVE OPERATED INTO LEX AS A B727 AND B737-200 CAPT; AND FOUND THE ARPT TO BE ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING AT NIGHT; EVEN WHEN ALL AVAILABLE NAVAIDS AND LIGHTING ARE AVAILABLE. MY CONCLUSION IS THAT NIGHT ACR OP AT LEX WITH THE CURRENT GND BASED EQUIP OTS SHOULD BE SUSPENDED UNTIL ALL GND BASED LIGHTING AND NAVAIDS ARE IN SVC. I BELIEVE THERE IS INSUFFICIENT SAFETY MARGIN FOR NIGHT OP UNDER PRESENT CONDITIONS.

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.