Narrative:

Prior to flight, I called for a standard WX briefing for a cross country to modesto from san jose and back to san jose. Flight conditions were VFR with all navaids working except ILS modesto. Prior to entering modesto traffic I called about 7 mi out for TA and heard landing traffic runways 28. After hearing TA I proceeded to advise other aircraft of my position and altitude. I proceeded to traffic pattern. At the time I didn't know if both runways were being open for landing traffic. I descended to pattern altitude and entered left traffic for runway 28L, since I was approaching from the left side of the field. I notified traffic of all my intentions. I then was on final and continued with my landing checklist while lining myself with the runway. I saw no runway light come on after several clicks of the microphone I had. I then proceeded with action of abandoning the landing on a runway with no lights and with passenger in aircraft. At the time of applying power to aircraft airspeed dropped immediately while rotating out. The aircraft would not climb after applying power. Speed was approaching the stall speed very quickly and my only action was to lower the nose and execute the landing at a very low altitude. Runway was in visual range and continued to land with no flap landing. My choice of action was to land on the runway when discovering the discrepancy, instead of trying to execute a go around and not knowing whether I had enough altitude or airspeed to make it back to the runway on a second try with passenger. I later find out that the runway was closed after operating hours of tower. In my honest opinion, I believe since it was dark and probably rushing the go around procedure could have got disoriented with the instrument. I later asked a CFI what could have happened to cause this problem. He had told me because I am pilot with not a whole lot of experience and was rushing things, I could have left my flaps down while trying to execute the go around. For future flying I think by attending safety seminars on disorientation on night flying or any other flying can help eliminate such problems. Also by flying with an instructor and practicing maneuvers such as turns, stalls, unusual attitudes can make yourself a better pilot. I also believe know your aircraft from inside and out on its limits other than VFR flying can make a big difference.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT LANDS CLOSED RWY WITH NO LIGHTS AFTER STARTING TO ABORT LNDG.

Narrative: PRIOR TO FLT, I CALLED FOR A STANDARD WX BRIEFING FOR A XCOUNTRY TO MODESTO FROM SAN JOSE AND BACK TO SAN JOSE. FLT CONDITIONS WERE VFR WITH ALL NAVAIDS WORKING EXCEPT ILS MODESTO. PRIOR TO ENTERING MODESTO TFC I CALLED ABOUT 7 MI OUT FOR TA AND HEARD LNDG TFC RWYS 28. AFTER HEARING TA I PROCEEDED TO ADVISE OTHER ACFT OF MY POS AND ALT. I PROCEEDED TO TFC PATTERN. AT THE TIME I DIDN'T KNOW IF BOTH RWYS WERE BEING OPEN FOR LNDG TFC. I DSNDED TO PATTERN ALT AND ENTERED L TFC FOR RWY 28L, SINCE I WAS APCHING FROM THE L SIDE OF THE FIELD. I NOTIFIED TFC OF ALL MY INTENTIONS. I THEN WAS ON FINAL AND CONTINUED WITH MY LNDG CHKLIST WHILE LINING MYSELF WITH THE RWY. I SAW NO RWY LIGHT COME ON AFTER SEVERAL CLICKS OF THE MICROPHONE I HAD. I THEN PROCEEDED WITH ACTION OF ABANDONING THE LNDG ON A RWY WITH NO LIGHTS AND WITH PAX IN ACFT. AT THE TIME OF APPLYING PWR TO ACFT AIRSPD DROPPED IMMEDIATELY WHILE ROTATING OUT. THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLB AFTER APPLYING PWR. SPD WAS APCHING THE STALL SPD VERY QUICKLY AND MY ONLY ACTION WAS TO LOWER THE NOSE AND EXECUTE THE LNDG AT A VERY LOW ALT. RWY WAS IN VISUAL RANGE AND CONTINUED TO LAND WITH NO FLAP LNDG. MY CHOICE OF ACTION WAS TO LAND ON THE RWY WHEN DISCOVERING THE DISCREPANCY, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO EXECUTE A GAR AND NOT KNOWING WHETHER I HAD ENOUGH ALT OR AIRSPD TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE RWY ON A SECOND TRY WITH PAX. I LATER FIND OUT THAT THE RWY WAS CLOSED AFTER OPERATING HRS OF TWR. IN MY HONEST OPINION, I BELIEVE SINCE IT WAS DARK AND PROBABLY RUSHING THE GAR PROC COULD HAVE GOT DISORIENTED WITH THE INST. I LATER ASKED A CFI WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. HE HAD TOLD ME BECAUSE I AM PLT WITH NOT A WHOLE LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND WAS RUSHING THINGS, I COULD HAVE LEFT MY FLAPS DOWN WHILE TRYING TO EXECUTE THE GAR. FOR FUTURE FLYING I THINK BY ATTENDING SAFETY SEMINARS ON DISORIENTATION ON NIGHT FLYING OR ANY OTHER FLYING CAN HELP ELIMINATE SUCH PROBLEMS. ALSO BY FLYING WITH AN INSTRUCTOR AND PRACTICING MANEUVERS SUCH AS TURNS, STALLS, UNUSUAL ATTITUDES CAN MAKE YOURSELF A BETTER PLT. I ALSO BELIEVE KNOW YOUR ACFT FROM INSIDE AND OUT ON ITS LIMITS OTHER THAN VFR FLYING CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.