Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the pilot's improper inflight decision to conduct a night landing at an airport without runway lights, and the subsequent misalignment with the runway and collision with an object.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On Friday, October 1, 1993, at about 2100 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N736RZ, collided with a VASI light while landing at the Mt. Gilead Airport, Mt. Gilead, Ohio. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and the three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot had completed a night landing and heard a "thump." After deplaning, he observed damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. Further investigation revealed that the airplane had collided with VASI lights located off the side of the runway in the vicinity of the touchdown zone.
According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2:
...runway lights not on UNICOM frequency, was not able to activate lights. Made 2 passes to check runway, landed runway 28...on flair landing lights raised, not illuminating runway. On roll out horizontal stabilizer struck VASI light...
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC94LA003