# Runway lighting - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Operating environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0301) › [Airport facilities/design](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030170) › Runway lighting - NTSB code: 03017015 - Cases: 18 - In the probable cause: 11 - Fatal cases: 4 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017015/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017015/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017015 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 1 / 2 - 2009: 0 / 2 - 2012: 1 / 1 - 2015: 1 / 2 - 2017: 1 / 1 - 2020: 1 / 1 - 2021: 0 / 1 - 2022: 1 / 1 - 2023: 2 / 4 - 2025: 1 / 1 - 2026: 2 / 2 ## Defining events in these cases - [Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284): 3 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 2 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 2 cases - [Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470): 1 cases - [Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370): 1 cases - [Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340): 1 cases - [Runway incursion veh/AC/person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/320): 1 cases - [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 1 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 1 cases - [Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Raytheon A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-a36): 1 cases - [Piper PA-32R-301T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 1 cases - [Gates Learjet 55C](https://openairdocs.org/model/gates-learjet-55c): 1 cases - [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 1 cases - [Cirrus Design SR20](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr20): 1 cases - [Cessna T210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210n): 1 cases - [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 5 cases - [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 4 cases - [Descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040) (Aircraft): 4 cases - [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Snow/slush/ice covered surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023015) (Environmental issues): 2 cases - [Recent experience](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031035) (Personnel issues): 2 cases - [Monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545) (Personnel issues): 2 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB WPR26LA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA182), May 12, 2026: American AA-5 (N5832L), Jurupa Valley, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to land at night on a runway without illuminated runway lights. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to review NOTAMs for a nightly airport closure. - [NTSB ERA26LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA102), Jan 29, 2026: Cessna 172 (N969FG), New Castle, DE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilots’ failure to properly identify the assigned runway during the landing approach, which resulted in the airplane landing on a closed, snow-covered runway. Contributing was the illumination of… - [NTSB CEN25LA354](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA354), Aug 30, 2025: Cessna 152 (N89585), Baldwin City, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue the night landing without runway lights which resulted in the runway overrun. - [NTSB ERA24FA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24FA050), Nov 27, 2023: Piper PA32R (N4187Q), Attalla, AL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The undetected wear of both pawl retaining rivets of the left magneto impulse coupling and fatigue failure of one pawl retaining rivet, which led to cascading fractures of the second pawl retaining… - [NTSB WPR23LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA293), Jul 30, 2023: Piper PA-28-235 (N8675W), Port Angeles, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate fuel monitoring, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. - [NTSB CEN23LA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA097), Jan 29, 2023: Cessna 172L (N621EW), Cleveland, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to attempt the night flight under visual flight rules when instrument meteorological conditions prevailed resulting in the airplane striking trees while on final approach.… - [NTSB DCA23LA125](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA125), Jan 14, 2023: Boeing 737-900ER (N914DU), Queens, NY, incident, no damage. Probable cause: The American Airlines flight 106 (AAL106) crew’s surface navigation error due to distractions caused by their performance of concurrent operational tasks during taxi, which resulted in a loss of… - [NTSB CEN22LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA171), Apr 8, 2022: Cirrus Design SR22 (N248G), Peyton, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to not activate the runway lighting and misjudged the runway location, which resulted in a collision with a windsock. - [NTSB CEN21LA136](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA136), Feb 19, 2021: Learjet 55 (N559RA), Jeffersonville, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight crew’s failure to verify the correct runway for landing, which resulted in a landing on a snow contaminated runway and resulting damage to the airplane. The illumination of the lights… - [NTSB ERA21LA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA020), Oct 14, 2020: Aero Commander 100 (N631PF), Citra, FL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The student pilot’s inadequate preflight planning likely due to impairment from ethanol, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing was his improper decision… NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.