Primary finding
Probable cause
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.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot could not activate the runway lights during a night landing. He made two passes over the runway to see if the runway was clear. He then elected to land on the runway without the runway lights available. He had completed the landing and during the roll out the left horizontal stabilizer struck the vasi light.
Source record
Factual narrative
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... -