Incident Overview
During a night landing, an airplane collided with trees. An on-scene examination of the aircraft found no anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition. In his written statement, the pilot listed no mechanical malfunction.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that he "... was experiencing the classic optical illusion of thinking I was closer to the approach end of the runway, than I actually was." The pilot also stated that the accident could have been prevented by receiving additional night dual instruction and a visual approach slope indicator (VASI) on runway 22.
Runway Equipment
According to the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD), runway 22 has a VASI system that is activated using the aircraft radio tuned to the airport common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). According to a statement from the airport manager, three flight instructors that operated aircraft during the late afternoon and early evening on the day of the accident were contacted. All three flight instructors indicated that the VASI lights were operational at the time of their flights. On the day following the accident, the airport maintenance manager conducted a daily inspection and determined that the VASI system was operational and in working order.