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Instructor report regarding training for night flight. On approach the aircraft struck a tree with some aircraft damage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 354659 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199611 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : n07 |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 36 agl bound upper : 36 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 23757 flight time type : 360 |
| ASRS Report | 354659 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Night requalification. I was CFI. 2 aviation veterans as students, lots of prior night-IFR experience. Right traffic (runway 1 at N07) pilot overshot turn to final (very light crosswind from left, which helped actually). Got low and clipped top of tree, which never showed up in landing lights. Dents to outer one third of left wing leading edge, cracked plastic wingtip housing and broken navigation light. In spite of 30-40 min briefing on night flying and awareness of the displaced threshold (well lighted runway with proper colors plus we saw the VASI runway 1 005 in airport facility directory, still must have been too low and hit tree(south). I had remarked that approach didn't look too good. Guess I should have intervened. First time I was party to any aircraft damage in 44 yrs, 36 yrs instructing. Leaves a terrible feeling, and in retrospect, we could've been much 'unluckier!' never again!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: INSTRUCTOR RPT REGARDING TRAINING FOR NIGHT FLT. ON APCH THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE WITH SOME ACFT DAMAGE.
Narrative: NIGHT REQUALIFICATION. I WAS CFI. 2 AVIATION VETERANS AS STUDENTS, LOTS OF PRIOR NIGHT-IFR EXPERIENCE. R TFC (RWY 1 AT N07) PLT OVERSHOT TURN TO FINAL (VERY LIGHT XWIND FROM L, WHICH HELPED ACTUALLY). GOT LOW AND CLIPPED TOP OF TREE, WHICH NEVER SHOWED UP IN LNDG LIGHTS. DENTS TO OUTER ONE THIRD OF L WING LEADING EDGE, CRACKED PLASTIC WINGTIP HOUSING AND BROKEN NAV LIGHT. IN SPITE OF 30-40 MIN BRIEFING ON NIGHT FLYING AND AWARENESS OF THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD (WELL LIGHTED RWY WITH PROPER COLORS PLUS WE SAW THE VASI RWY 1 005 IN ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY, STILL MUST HAVE BEEN TOO LOW AND HIT TREE(S). I HAD REMARKED THAT APCH DIDN'T LOOK TOO GOOD. GUESS I SHOULD HAVE INTERVENED. FIRST TIME I WAS PARTY TO ANY ACFT DAMAGE IN 44 YRS, 36 YRS INSTRUCTING. LEAVES A TERRIBLE FEELING, AND IN RETROSPECT, WE COULD'VE BEEN MUCH 'UNLUCKIER!' NEVER AGAIN!
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.