<< >> NASA ASRS Report 376517, August 1997

PA28 pilot makes a night landing from the right seat. Takes out 2 runway lights on the left side of runway after misjudging aircraft's position on runway. Said he was seated too low.

Attributes
ACN	376517
Time
Date	199708
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lvn
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 520 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	376517
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flew to ael for dinner. Returned late with 1 passenger. I flew from right seat to practice for club CFI check-out. Upon returning to lvn, I made a poor approach, flying through the final corridor on base. I was sitting pretty low in my seat and did not have good visual reference outside. I completely misjudged the landing, flaring too high and too far left. I landed hard on the left side runway lights. I corrected to get the airplane completely onto the runway, but it was too late. I had already 'taken out' 2 runway lights and damaged the left side flap on the airplane. It seems that the accident happened because I did not have adequate visual reference outside the airplane because I was sitting too low in my seat (I am 5 ft 7 inches). I fixated on the right hand side runway lights. I was also pretty tired after a long day of work and then an evening of flying. My once robust ego is now shattered to pieces. It is even more mangled than the flap.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT MAKES A NIGHT LNDG FROM THE R SEAT. TAKES OUT 2 RWY LIGHTS ON THE L SIDE OF RWY AFTER MISJUDGING ACFT'S POS ON RWY. SAID HE WAS SEATED TOO LOW.

Narrative: FLEW TO AEL FOR DINNER. RETURNED LATE WITH 1 PAX. I FLEW FROM R SEAT TO PRACTICE FOR CLUB CFI CHK-OUT. UPON RETURNING TO LVN, I MADE A POOR APCH, FLYING THROUGH THE FINAL CORRIDOR ON BASE. I WAS SITTING PRETTY LOW IN MY SEAT AND DID NOT HAVE GOOD VISUAL REF OUTSIDE. I COMPLETELY MISJUDGED THE LNDG, FLARING TOO HIGH AND TOO FAR L. I LANDED HARD ON THE L SIDE RWY LIGHTS. I CORRECTED TO GET THE AIRPLANE COMPLETELY ONTO THE RWY, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. I HAD ALREADY 'TAKEN OUT' 2 RWY LIGHTS AND DAMAGED THE L SIDE FLAP ON THE AIRPLANE. IT SEEMS THAT THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE VISUAL REF OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE I WAS SITTING TOO LOW IN MY SEAT (I AM 5 FT 7 INCHES). I FIXATED ON THE R HAND SIDE RWY LIGHTS. I WAS ALSO PRETTY TIRED AFTER A LONG DAY OF WORK AND THEN AN EVENING OF FLYING. MY ONCE ROBUST EGO IS NOW SHATTERED TO PIECES. IT IS EVEN MORE MANGLED THAN THE FLAP.

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.