M20P pilot hit trees while attempting a night approach to an airport with notamed inoperative runway...

Attributes
ACN	563808
Time
Date	200209
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 B/C Ranger
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	563808
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : executed go around other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was approaching the airport in night VMC when a near collision with trees occurred. I was aware by NOTAM that runway lights were OTS. Also, I had overheard airport management previously in the day discussing the rotating beacon being OTS due to airport construction inadvertently cutting power cables. Prior to departure from hqu (for trip to gsp), I received a WX briefing from macon FSS. Runway lights were notamed OTS but no mention of beacon was made. Prior to departing gsp for hqu (now nighttime XA30), I requested an updated briefing from anderson FSS and again received NOTAM on runway lights but nothing on rotating beacon (I specifically asked, but briefer had no data on it). As I approached the facility (hqu), I was offered a visual approach, but declined it because I was unable to locate the field due to the lack of rotating beacon and runway lights (some taxiway lights were operational but I could not identify the field). I requested and was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 10 (no REIL, VASI or other approach lights). At about 600 ft AGL on GS and localizer, I was able to identify the field based on appearance of taxiway lights (aimed for the dark edge as I was familiar with the field and had flown at night in the pattern 1 day previous). At about 300 ft AGL or less, I became disoriented to the perceived location of the runway and corrected flight path. As I did, my landing lights illuminated trees ahead. I realized that I overcorrected and was too far left of the runway 10. I executed a missed approach and was able to enter the traffic pattern VFR and fly visually to the other end of the runway and with aide of the VASI (runway 28). I landed on runway 28 successfully. The lack of rotating beacon coupled with runway lights OTS and no approach lights made it impossible to establish visual reference to the field from any distance. An ILS approach with 'the field in sight' but no actual visual reference to the actual runway is insufficient to continue the approach. I should have used other end of runway or landed at another facility with sufficient operable lighting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20P PLT HIT TREES WHILE ATTEMPTING A NIGHT APCH TO AN ARPT WITH NOTAMED INOP RWY LIGHTS, AND NOTAMED INOP PAPI.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING THE ARPT IN NIGHT VMC WHEN A NEAR COLLISION WITH TREES OCCURRED. I WAS AWARE BY NOTAM THAT RWY LIGHTS WERE OTS. ALSO, I HAD OVERHEARD ARPT MGMNT PREVIOUSLY IN THE DAY DISCUSSING THE ROTATING BEACON BEING OTS DUE TO ARPT CONSTRUCTION INADVERTENTLY CUTTING PWR CABLES. PRIOR TO DEP FROM HQU (FOR TRIP TO GSP), I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FROM MACON FSS. RWY LIGHTS WERE NOTAMED OTS BUT NO MENTION OF BEACON WAS MADE. PRIOR TO DEPARTING GSP FOR HQU (NOW NIGHTTIME XA30), I REQUESTED AN UPDATED BRIEFING FROM ANDERSON FSS AND AGAIN RECEIVED NOTAM ON RWY LIGHTS BUT NOTHING ON ROTATING BEACON (I SPECIFICALLY ASKED, BUT BRIEFER HAD NO DATA ON IT). AS I APCHED THE FACILITY (HQU), I WAS OFFERED A VISUAL APCH, BUT DECLINED IT BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FIELD DUE TO THE LACK OF ROTATING BEACON AND RWY LIGHTS (SOME TXWY LIGHTS WERE OPERATIONAL BUT I COULD NOT IDENT THE FIELD). I REQUESTED AND WAS CLRED FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 10 (NO REIL, VASI OR OTHER APCH LIGHTS). AT ABOUT 600 FT AGL ON GS AND LOC, I WAS ABLE TO IDENT THE FIELD BASED ON APPEARANCE OF TXWY LIGHTS (AIMED FOR THE DARK EDGE AS I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD AND HAD FLOWN AT NIGHT IN THE PATTERN 1 DAY PREVIOUS). AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL OR LESS, I BECAME DISORIENTED TO THE PERCEIVED LOCATION OF THE RWY AND CORRECTED FLT PATH. AS I DID, MY LNDG LIGHTS ILLUMINATED TREES AHEAD. I REALIZED THAT I OVERCORRECTED AND WAS TOO FAR L OF THE RWY 10. I EXECUTED A MISSED APCH AND WAS ABLE TO ENTER THE TFC PATTERN VFR AND FLY VISUALLY TO THE OTHER END OF THE RWY AND WITH AIDE OF THE VASI (RWY 28). I LANDED ON RWY 28 SUCCESSFULLY. THE LACK OF ROTATING BEACON COUPLED WITH RWY LIGHTS OTS AND NO APCH LIGHTS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH VISUAL REF TO THE FIELD FROM ANY DISTANCE. AN ILS APCH WITH 'THE FIELD IN SIGHT' BUT NO ACTUAL VISUAL REF TO THE ACTUAL RWY IS INSUFFICIENT TO CONTINUE THE APCH. I SHOULD HAVE USED OTHER END OF RWY OR LANDED AT ANOTHER FACILITY WITH SUFFICIENT OPERABLE LIGHTING.

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.

M20P pilot hit trees while attempting a night approach to an airport with notamed inoperative runway lights, and notamed inoperative PAPI.