Narrative:

A former student of mine [was involved in an incident] during a night proficiency flight (his last night flight was in excess of 90 days). He crashed the aircraft during the last of three attempts at landing. The pilot was attempting to regain his night landing currency and had not flown in approximately 60 days. Fortunately; the pilot survived without a scratch but the aircraft was totaled.I have two main issues with this incident:1. The tower; who was controlling the aircraft at the time; didn't know that the aircraft had [an issue] near the base of the tower on their airfield.2. Part 61.56 and 61.57 do not provide sufficient and consistent landing currency guidance to private pilots. 61.57 only provides landing currency guidance/restrictions to private pilots when they intend to carry passengers; but there is no guidance/restrictions relating to a private pilot flying solo. It would appear the FAA is drawing an ambiguous distinction between carrying passengers and not; as if to say we are going to permit a solo pilot to assume more risk than a pilot carrying a passenger(s). The FAA is in the business of preserving and improving flight safety. Why then are there different criteria for the same pilot? The cfrs are intended to help promote flight safety and should be written to guide pilots to safer operations. I would submit that the FAA give serious consideration to mandating a 90-day night landing currency for all private pilots regardless of whether passengers are involved and stipulating that night landing currency can be regained only by accomplishing 3 takeoffs and 3 landings to the satisfaction of a CFI. Had a CFI been onboard the aircraft; this accident very likely would not have occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A flight instructor reported of a landing event involving a former student during night proficiency landings; the third of which resulted in a crash. The instructor was not on board.

Narrative: A former student of mine [was involved in an incident] during a night proficiency flight (his last night flight was in excess of 90 days). He crashed the aircraft during the last of three attempts at landing. The pilot was attempting to regain his night landing currency and had not flown in approximately 60 days. Fortunately; the pilot survived without a scratch but the aircraft was totaled.I have two main issues with this incident:1. The Tower; who was controlling the aircraft at the time; didn't know that the aircraft had [an issue] near the base of the tower on their airfield.2. Part 61.56 and 61.57 do not provide sufficient and consistent landing currency guidance to private pilots. 61.57 only provides landing currency guidance/restrictions to private pilots when they intend to carry passengers; but there is no guidance/restrictions relating to a private pilot flying solo. It would appear the FAA is drawing an ambiguous distinction between carrying passengers and not; as if to say we are going to permit a solo pilot to assume more risk than a pilot carrying a passenger(s). The FAA is in the business of preserving and improving flight safety. Why then are there different criteria for the same pilot? The CFRs are intended to help promote flight safety and should be written to guide pilots to safer operations. I would submit that the FAA give serious consideration to mandating a 90-day night landing currency for all private pilots regardless of whether passengers are involved and stipulating that night landing currency can be regained only by accomplishing 3 takeoffs and 3 landings to the satisfaction of a CFI. Had a CFI been onboard the aircraft; this accident very likely would not have occurred.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.