An small aircraft's wing struck a tree on a visual approach to bfi runway 31L due to the pilot's vie...

Attributes
ACN	643094
Time
Date	200501
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bfi.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bfi.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 1035 flight time total : 2480 flight time type : 356
ASRS Report	643094
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Night visual approach to seattle; boeing field (bfi). Had difficulty seeing runway end identifier due to bright lighting of ramp abeam approach end of runway 31L. Inadvertent descent while turning left base leg caused tree strike on high ground approximately half mi southwest of runway 31L approach end. Minor damage to right wing leading edge approximately 30 inches inboard of wing tip. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the night of this incident; very bright lights were on the ramp to facilitate work on a jet being prepared for delivery. He and his passenger did not realize that the aircraft struck an object. They experienced a mild to moderate turbulence on the approach; but did not connect that with hitting an object. During a post flight inspection they did examine the underside of the aircraft; but did not see the wing damage until the next preflight. Reporter stated that in retrospect he would have requested an instrument approach because the visual approach slope was unusable from his location because of the lights. The reporter believes this ramp light circumstance is a rare event; but the consequences are dire for pilots conducting visual approachs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA'S WING STRUCK A TREE ON A VISUAL APCH TO BFI RWY 31L DUE TO THE PLT'S VIEW OF THE VASI BEING BLOCKED BY BRIGHT RAMP LIGHTING.

Narrative: NIGHT VISUAL APCH TO SEATTLE; BOEING FIELD (BFI). HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING RWY END IDENTIFIER DUE TO BRIGHT LIGHTING OF RAMP ABEAM APCH END OF RWY 31L. INADVERTENT DSCNT WHILE TURNING L BASE LEG CAUSED TREE STRIKE ON HIGH GND APPROX HALF MI SW OF RWY 31L APCH END. MINOR DAMAGE TO R WING LEADING EDGE APPROX 30 INCHES INBOARD OF WING TIP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE NIGHT OF THIS INCIDENT; VERY BRIGHT LIGHTS WERE ON THE RAMP TO FACILITATE WORK ON A JET BEING PREPARED FOR DELIVERY. HE AND HIS PAX DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE ACFT STRUCK AN OBJECT. THEY EXPERIENCED A MILD TO MODERATE TURB ON THE APCH; BUT DID NOT CONNECT THAT WITH HITTING AN OBJECT. DURING A POST FLT INSPECTION THEY DID EXAMINE THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ACFT; BUT DID NOT SEE THE WING DAMAGE UNTIL THE NEXT PREFLT. RPTR STATED THAT IN RETROSPECT HE WOULD HAVE REQUESTED AN INSTRUMENT APCH BECAUSE THE VISUAL APCH SLOPE WAS UNUSABLE FROM HIS LOCATION BECAUSE OF THE LIGHTS. THE RPTR BELIEVES THIS RAMP LIGHT CIRCUMSTANCE IS A RARE EVENT; BUT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE DIRE FOR PLTS CONDUCTING VISUAL APCHS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

An small aircraft's wing struck a tree on a visual approach to bfi runway 31L due to the pilot's view of the VASI being blocked by bright ramp lighting.