SAN DIEGO, CA, USA
N680JM
PIPER PA601P
A PIPER AEROSTAR 601P COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY APPROACH LIGHTS SHORT OF RUNWAY 28R. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE PILOT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT AND PLANNED TO ACCOMPLISH A NIGHT SHORT FIELD LANDING ON RUNWAY 28R. DURING FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH AND WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TOO LOW HE WAS LATE IN ADDING POWER. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK AN APPROACH LIGHT WITH THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING TOUCHDOWN. RUNWAY 28R IS 3,408 FEET LONG BY 150 FEET WIDE, AND IS EQUIPPED WITH HIGH INTENSITY RUNWAY LIGHTS, CENTERLINE LIGHTS, A CATEGORY II CONFIGURATION HIGH INTENSITY APPROACH LIGHTING SYSTEM, HIGH INTENSITY RUNWAY LIGHTS, AND A SIMPLIFIED SHORT APPROACH LIGHTING SYSTEM WITH RUNWAY ALIGNMENT INDICATOR LIGHTS. THE RUNWAY'S APPROACH SLOPE ANGLE IS 3.0 DEGREES WITH A THRESHOLD CROSSING HEIGHT OF 29 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.
THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND DELAY IN ACCOMPLISHING THE PROPER REMEDIAL ACTION WHILE EXECUTING A NIGHT SHORT FIELD LANDING AT AN ADEQUATELY LIGHTED AIRPORT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDE SLOPE AND THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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