What happened
The pilot stated that he had previously arranged for the runway lights at Ottawa Airport to remain illuminated until 02:00 hours on June 24. Upon arrival at the airport, however, the lights were not activated. The pilot reported attempting an approach but indicated that the attempt failed. Consequently, the aircraft was landed in a nearby field. An investigation by the airport manager revealed that no request for lighting had been received. Subsequent blood analysis of the pilot showed an alcohol concentration of 0.178%.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed the communication logs regarding the airport lighting request and confirmed that the airport manager did not receive any instruction to keep the lights on. A toxicology screen was conducted on the pilot, which returned a blood alcohol level of 0.178%, indicating significant impairment at the time of the incident.
Findings
The failure of the approach was linked to the lack of visual references caused by the unlit runway. The pilot's inability to complete the landing safely was directly associated with his impaired state, as evidenced by the high blood alcohol content. The discrepancy between the pilot's claim of having arranged for lights and the airport manager's records suggests a breakdown in communication or memory regarding the lighting request.