Incident Overview
The pilot of a general aviation aircraft reported that during a nighttime approach, he inadvertently allowed the airplane to descend below the visual approach slope indicator (VASI) glidepath while on short final. The pilot stated that he had fixated on the runway threshold lights, which caused him to fail to detect the descent below the proper glidepath.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's account, the airplane subsequently impacted an embankment short of the runway threshold. The impact occurred with the aircraft in a nose-high attitude. The pilot indicated that he did not react in time to correct the situation before the collision.
Contributing Factors
In his report, the pilot attributed the incident to his fixation on the runway threshold lights during the nighttime approach. This fixation resulted in a failure to monitor the VASI glidepath indications, leading to an undetected descent below the safe approach path. The pilot acknowledged that he did not recognize the deviation in time to take corrective action.
Investigation Findings
The investigation focused on the pilot's actions and the environmental conditions. No other factors were identified as contributing to the accident. The pilot's statement provided a clear sequence of events and the reason for the loss of glidepath reference.