Accident Overview
An airplane accident occurred during a night approach at a small airport. The airport operator reported that the night was very dark, making visual orientation challenging. The airplane had requested flight advisories on the Unicom frequency before arrival.
Sequence of Events
The airport operator illuminated the runway lights in response to the aircraft's approach and awaited its arrival. When the airplane did not appear and the runway lights automatically shut off, the operator began searching for the aircraft. He spotted a rotating red light in the area where the base leg of the approach pattern would typically be flown. Driving to the location, he discovered the airplane had crashed.
Airport Conditions
The airport operator noted that the surrounding area is very sparsely populated, with the only visible visual cues during night approaches being the runway lights themselves. There were no other lights or landmarks to aid the pilot's orientation.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that he lost sight of the runway threshold lights while on the downwind leg of the approach. This led to an unintentional loss of excessive altitude. During the subsequent base turn, the left main wheel made contact with the ground. The airplane rolled a short distance before the landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft slid to a stop.
No further details about the aircraft or occupants were provided in the report.