The pilot reported that upon arrival at the airport in Twentynine Palms, California, after dark, he attempted to activate the pilot-controlled lights by keying the mike seven times. He waited a short period and repeated the process two more times, but the runway lights did not turn on.
He circled the area to try to locate the airport, but was unsuccessful. He was now low on fuel, so he began to look for a place to make a precautionary landing. The Cessna 150 landed on a dirt road. During the landing rollout, the nose landing gear separated, and the left wing was substantially damaged.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The FAA Airport Facility Directory identified that medium intensity runway lights were available at the airport. To activate the pilot-controlled lighting, the pilot is to key the mike five times in five seconds for medium or lower intensity lights. The pilot reported that he did not check what the proper procedures were for operating the pilot-controlled lighting for the runway.
Airport personnel performed a check of the pilot-controlled lighting system the following day and reported that there were no malfunctions with the system.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s poor preflight planning, during which he failed to verify the proper procedure to activate the runway lights; his inability to locate the airport without lighting; and the airplane’s subsequent low-fuel state as he circled looking for the airport, which necessitated a precautionary off-airport landing, during which the nose landing gear separated.
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This January 2020 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.
And this guy has his ticket? I fell just short of getting my PP (time and family), but I know how to turn airport lighting on at any field that has it. Either this is a testament to how good my instructor was (highly probable), or this guy needs serious remedial training; likely both. Why, why was he flying at night?
I call into question all of his training at this point.
The last guy I ran into like this was at an airport in New York; my instructor and I flew an Aztec into Buffalo to drop off some overnight packages. This guy landed in Buffalo and stated he had been looking for Rochester to land. There was a female with him (not his wife or daughter) who was not at all happy. She was wild-eyed and scared. His plane, according to him, had a G1000, one he clearly did not know how to use.
His plane looked like somebody had taken a long pipe and bashed the leading edges of the wings, the brake lines were pulled rearward, and there was brown pinstriping all along the underside of the plane. Sheepishly claimed he found a cornfield. Big Corn.
I wonder what “Pilot” told his wife when he said he’d be home late? I wonder what happened to the female, how she got home? I’ll bet not in that airplane, and not with the same undergarments.
Indeed right, L. Howell.
This is a good lesson for us.
Not a good idea to arrive to an unfamiliar uncontrolled airport at night…especially with low fuel.
The Chart Supplement does not specify any protocol contrary to AIM’s section 2-1-8 and included tables pertaining to activating the 3 intensity steps of MIRL. The aforementioned section recommends always initially keying the mic 7 times. What appears to be excessive loitering time & not seeking help are unfortunate.
The Chart Supplement indicates MIRL and that the CTAF is used to activate them, as well as the REILs for 8-26; but it does not specify any protocol contrary to the AIM’s section 2-1-8 and included tables. Even with MIRL, to ensure the highest of the 3 intensity steps, the AIM specifies “ c. Suggested use is to always initially key the mike
7 times; this assures that all controlled lights are
turned on to the maximum available intensity”.
Also looks like the vertical stabilizer isn’t aligned with the cabin anymore.
Read the instructions and carry lots of fuel.
That one won’t last long
Climb
Contact app
Confess lost
Comply follow their directions
Conserve fuel
Pass this along to his CFII.
L Howell CFII
( poor preflight planning ).