C172 pilot strikes trees on straight-in, night approach causing minor damage to the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	604428
Time
Date	200401
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cae.airport
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 150 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cae.tracon tower : cae.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	604428
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I accepted a long straight-in approach (7-8 mi) to runway 23 (a non ILS runway). I began a slow descent from 2500 ft MSL to the runway at my home airport, accomplished before landing checklist and focused on the end of the runway without observing my altitude. Approximately 1/2 - 3/4 mi from end of runway, I heard a loud bang that sounded like branches moving across the bottom of my aircraft. I immediately pitched up, added power and made a visual of both the main landing gears and then made an uneventful landing. After parking, I noticed several dents on landing gear covers and lower front cowling. I found a twig on the horizontal stabilizer. I believe I am a victim of the black hole phenomenon associated with night lndgs. Had I flown a normal rectangular pattern, this probably wouldn't have happened. With increased awareness of altitude above ground level, this could have been prevented. Recommend continued emphasis on this phenomenon in training programs and seminars. The damaged sustained by my aircraft did not meet the definition of an aircraft accident or incident -- I was lucky!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT STRIKES TREES ON STRAIGHT-IN, NIGHT APCH CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: I ACCEPTED A LONG STRAIGHT-IN APCH (7-8 MI) TO RWY 23 (A NON ILS RWY). I BEGAN A SLOW DSCNT FROM 2500 FT MSL TO THE RWY AT MY HOME ARPT, ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST AND FOCUSED ON THE END OF THE RWY WITHOUT OBSERVING MY ALT. APPROX 1/2 - 3/4 MI FROM END OF RWY, I HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED LIKE BRANCHES MOVING ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF MY ACFT. I IMMEDIATELY PITCHED UP, ADDED PWR AND MADE A VISUAL OF BOTH THE MAIN LNDG GEARS AND THEN MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AFTER PARKING, I NOTICED SEVERAL DENTS ON LNDG GEAR COVERS AND LOWER FRONT COWLING. I FOUND A TWIG ON THE HORIZ STABILIZER. I BELIEVE I AM A VICTIM OF THE BLACK HOLE PHENOMENON ASSOCIATED WITH NIGHT LNDGS. HAD I FLOWN A NORMAL RECTANGULAR PATTERN, THIS PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. WITH INCREASED AWARENESS OF ALT ABOVE GND LEVEL, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. RECOMMEND CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON THIS PHENOMENON IN TRAINING PROGRAMS AND SEMINARS. THE DAMAGED SUSTAINED BY MY ACFT DID NOT MEET THE DEFINITION OF AN ACFT ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT -- I WAS LUCKY!

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.