Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The airplane’s inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological, dark night conditions and the pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate approach for landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he took off in dark night conditions and was using flight following. When he arrived at the destination airport, he activated the runway lights while entering the downwind leg. While on final approach the runway lights suddenly turned off, so he aborted the landing. The pilot again activated the runway lights on the downwind leg, but this time he flew a short base leg to final. The airplane was at a lower altitude for the approach and suddenly entered a heavy band of fog. The left wing subsequently hit the soft dirt, cartwheeled and came to rest inverted about ¼ mile short of runway 26.
A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage.
The weather conditions reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, was calm wind, visibility 4 statute miles, moderate mist, scattered 100 ft, temperature 15°C, dew point 15°C, and an altimeter setting 29.24 inches of mercury.
The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident /Incident Report Form 6120.1.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA17CA559