Narrative:

I was on a night cargo flight under far part 91. ASOS reported VV001; 1/4 SM in fog. Vectored to an ILS runway 3. Flew the approach to 920 ft MSL (minimums are 856 ft MSL) when the approach light system came into view. Continued the approach to 820 ft MSL when the green threshold lights; the threshold stripes; on the runway and 1 runway light on each side of the runway came into view. I reduced the power to idle as I crossed the threshold and as I checked the airspeed; the aircraft started to drift to the left. I did not detect the drift due to the darkness and the fog. As I looked back outside the aircraft; I saw the drift and the aircraft was well left of the centerline; almost to the edge of the runway. I attempted to correct; the aircraft touched down in a left drift; and continued to the left. 1 propeller blade struck a runway light. (I didn't know this at the time.) I maneuvered the aircraft to avoid other runway lights and after the aircraft slowed; returned to the runway and taxied to the ramp. Upon shutdown; found the damage to the propeller. There was no other damage to the aircraft. While legal to fly this approach; not many of us fly approachs to actual minimums. Most IFR training takes us to the missed approach and there is not much work done on the landing in reduced visibility situations. Trying to land with 1/2 mi of visibility and no other reference than the runway lights is very difficult. ZZZ had basic VFR conditions and was my alternate plan. I should have gone there rather than even attempt this approach. Pilots need to think very carefully before attempting an approach like this. A no-brainer; but worth mentioning. If something like this ever happens to you; be sure to notify the local airport authority/authorized immediately so the runway can be checked for debris. There was a lot of broken glass on the runway that could have caused problems for other aircraft.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA-42 PILOT STRUCK A RUNWAY LIGHT WITH HIS PROPELLER ON A NIGHT MINIMUM VISIBILITY APPROACH.

Narrative: I WAS ON A NIGHT CARGO FLT UNDER FAR PART 91. ASOS RPTED VV001; 1/4 SM IN FOG. VECTORED TO AN ILS RWY 3. FLEW THE APCH TO 920 FT MSL (MINIMUMS ARE 856 FT MSL) WHEN THE APCH LIGHT SYS CAME INTO VIEW. CONTINUED THE APCH TO 820 FT MSL WHEN THE GREEN THRESHOLD LIGHTS; THE THRESHOLD STRIPES; ON THE RWY AND 1 RWY LIGHT ON EACH SIDE OF THE RWY CAME INTO VIEW. I REDUCED THE PWR TO IDLE AS I CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AND AS I CHKED THE AIRSPD; THE ACFT STARTED TO DRIFT TO THE L. I DID NOT DETECT THE DRIFT DUE TO THE DARKNESS AND THE FOG. AS I LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE THE ACFT; I SAW THE DRIFT AND THE ACFT WAS WELL L OF THE CTRLINE; ALMOST TO THE EDGE OF THE RWY. I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT; THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A L DRIFT; AND CONTINUED TO THE L. 1 PROP BLADE STRUCK A RWY LIGHT. (I DIDN'T KNOW THIS AT THE TIME.) I MANEUVERED THE ACFT TO AVOID OTHER RWY LIGHTS AND AFTER THE ACFT SLOWED; RETURNED TO THE RWY AND TAXIED TO THE RAMP. UPON SHUTDOWN; FOUND THE DAMAGE TO THE PROP. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. WHILE LEGAL TO FLY THIS APCH; NOT MANY OF US FLY APCHS TO ACTUAL MINIMUMS. MOST IFR TRAINING TAKES US TO THE MISSED APCH AND THERE IS NOT MUCH WORK DONE ON THE LNDG IN REDUCED VISIBILITY SITUATIONS. TRYING TO LAND WITH 1/2 MI OF VISIBILITY AND NO OTHER REF THAN THE RWY LIGHTS IS VERY DIFFICULT. ZZZ HAD BASIC VFR CONDITIONS AND WAS MY ALTERNATE PLAN. I SHOULD HAVE GONE THERE RATHER THAN EVEN ATTEMPT THIS APCH. PLTS NEED TO THINK VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE ATTEMPTING AN APCH LIKE THIS. A NO-BRAINER; BUT WORTH MENTIONING. IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENS TO YOU; BE SURE TO NOTIFY THE LCL ARPT AUTH IMMEDIATELY SO THE RWY CAN BE CHKED FOR DEBRIS. THERE WAS A LOT OF BROKEN GLASS ON THE RWY THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED PROBS FOR OTHER ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.