Narrative:

While making a night landing on runway 15 at dvn, the aircraft struck the tops of the last 2 approach light fixtures, causing some damage to the lights and the aircraft. The landing approach appeared normal as I neared the approach lights, when they were suddenly turned up to full intensity. The intense lights both startled and blinded me, making it difficult to judge height. It is possible that I inadvertently increased angle of attack, and thereby increased sink rate when I was blinded/startled. Another aircraft had arrived in the area with no announcement prior to the approach lights going up in intensity. This aircraft should have been aware of my aircraft as the proper airport traffic calls were being made. I do recall seeing the runway over the top of the bright lights, and believing I had ample altitude. I did not try to change the intensity of the lights. I did not trust them to stay on, due to earlier malfunctioning of the airport lighting system. Normal procedures to activate the lights had not worked. Upon my inquiry via the unicom, FBO office personnel were able to get them on after several attempts via the unicom transmitter. After the incident, I personally walked the runway in order to determine it was clear of any debris. During that time, the displaced threshold lights went from off to on twice, remaining on. The remaining approach lights were operating without interruption during this time. In retrospect, when I was blinded, I should have gone around whether the approach looked good or not. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said another pilot landed after the incident, and he believes that pilot may have turned the lights up when he was about to touch down. Because he hit 2 approach lights that caused some damage to his aircraft, he was required to file a report with the FAA.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PLT MAKING A NIGHT LNDG AT DVN BECAME STARTLED AND BLINDED WHEN THE RADIO CTLED APCH LIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT TO FULL INTENSITY.

Narrative: WHILE MAKING A NIGHT LNDG ON RWY 15 AT DVN, THE ACFT STRUCK THE TOPS OF THE LAST 2 APCH LIGHT FIXTURES, CAUSING SOME DAMAGE TO THE LIGHTS AND THE ACFT. THE LNDG APCH APPEARED NORMAL AS I NEARED THE APCH LIGHTS, WHEN THEY WERE SUDDENLY TURNED UP TO FULL INTENSITY. THE INTENSE LIGHTS BOTH STARTLED AND BLINDED ME, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO JUDGE HEIGHT. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I INADVERTENTLY INCREASED ANGLE OF ATTACK, AND THEREBY INCREASED SINK RATE WHEN I WAS BLINDED/STARTLED. ANOTHER ACFT HAD ARRIVED IN THE AREA WITH NO ANNOUNCEMENT PRIOR TO THE APCH LIGHTS GOING UP IN INTENSITY. THIS ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF MY ACFT AS THE PROPER ARPT TFC CALLS WERE BEING MADE. I DO RECALL SEEING THE RWY OVER THE TOP OF THE BRIGHT LIGHTS, AND BELIEVING I HAD AMPLE ALT. I DID NOT TRY TO CHANGE THE INTENSITY OF THE LIGHTS. I DID NOT TRUST THEM TO STAY ON, DUE TO EARLIER MALFUNCTIONING OF THE ARPT LIGHTING SYS. NORMAL PROCS TO ACTIVATE THE LIGHTS HAD NOT WORKED. UPON MY INQUIRY VIA THE UNICOM, FBO OFFICE PERSONNEL WERE ABLE TO GET THEM ON AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS VIA THE UNICOM XMITTER. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I PERSONALLY WALKED THE RWY IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IT WAS CLR OF ANY DEBRIS. DURING THAT TIME, THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD LIGHTS WENT FROM OFF TO ON TWICE, REMAINING ON. THE REMAINING APCH LIGHTS WERE OPERATING WITHOUT INTERRUPTION DURING THIS TIME. IN RETROSPECT, WHEN I WAS BLINDED, I SHOULD HAVE GONE AROUND WHETHER THE APCH LOOKED GOOD OR NOT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID ANOTHER PLT LANDED AFTER THE INCIDENT, AND HE BELIEVES THAT PLT MAY HAVE TURNED THE LIGHTS UP WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO TOUCH DOWN. BECAUSE HE HIT 2 APCH LIGHTS THAT CAUSED SOME DAMAGE TO HIS ACFT, HE WAS REQUIRED TO FILE A RPT WITH THE FAA.

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.