Summary
On October 04, 2018, a Piper PA24 (N8220P) was involved in an incident near Winder, GA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate approach path at night after an electrical failure, which resulted in the airplane striking runway lights.
The pilot reported that, during a night flight, while lowering the flaps for landing, the cockpit lights turned off. He attempted to turn the lights back on, to no avail. He added that the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights were off, and he could not get the runway lights to turn on either. As he was landing past "the first arrow in front [chevron in the displaced threshold]", he heard a "thump". He taxied to the ramp without further incident.
The passenger, an airframe and powerplant mechanic, reported that, during approach after the cockpit lights went out, he used his flashlight to light up the cockpit. He was unable to correct the panel lights but observed that the runway lights were "bright".
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA19CA016. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8220P.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate approach path at night after an electrical failure, which resulted in the airplane striking runway lights.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during a night flight, while lowering the flaps for landing, the cockpit lights turned off. He attempted to turn the lights back on, to no avail. He added that the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights were off, and he could not get the runway lights to turn on either. As he was landing past "the first arrow in front [chevron in the displaced threshold]", he heard a "thump". He taxied to the ramp without further incident.
The passenger, an airframe and powerplant mechanic, reported that, during approach after the cockpit lights went out, he used his flashlight to light up the cockpit. He was unable to correct the panel lights but observed that the runway lights were "bright". He added that, during the landing, he felt the "bottom drop out" and the airplane landed hard and bounced.
Postaccident examination revealed that the right horizontal stabilator sustained substantial damage. The pilot added that he and the passenger went to the beginning of the approach runway and found pieces of broken runway lights.
Archived Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) for the date of the accident stated that:
RWY 31 PAPI UNUSABLE
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA19CA016