The newly-certificated private pilot was conducting a sightseeing flight near San Jose, California, at night with friends in a Cessna 172. He was not familiar with the airport.
During the initial approach to land, he performed a go-around. He returned to land and, during the landing roll, lost directional control of the airplane, which subsequently left the runway and came to rest inverted.
The airplane had been rented through a collaborative aircraft rental company where the pilot received a checkout in one location, and was permitted to fly the same make and model airplane at locations within the company’s rental network throughout the country.
Given his limited overall experience, landing at night at the unfamiliar airport and operating near the maximum gross weight of the airplane could have been challenging for the pilot.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll at night, which resulted in a runway excursion.
NTSB Identification: WPR16LA024
This November 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
I fail to see the connection. How does unfamiliarity with an airport have anything to do with failure to maintain directional control on a runway, any runway?
Where in God’s green earth would an authority give a newly licenced pilot approval to fly himself, let alone passengers at night without full night flying training? I suspect the US have some lesser requirements for pilot privileges, but it’s an entirely different world at night. There should be a separate endorsement to grant the privilege to fly passengers at night and maintain that skill and knowledge.
My humble opinion only.
I have been flying for over 45 years commercial multi-engine, instrument-rated however
not current. I would not fly into an unfamiliar Airport at night with my 1500 hours
Where does it say he didn’t have night training. As I remember, night flying is part of getting a PPL?