Incident Overview
A pilot reported an incident during a night landing when the airplane bounced, drifted left, and bounced again. On the second bounce, the horizontal stabilator struck runway lights. The pilot then added power, aborted the landing, and the airplane became airborne. Subsequently, the pilot returned for a landing that was completed without further incident.
Sequence of Events
The approach and landing were conducted at night. During the initial touchdown, the airplane bounced. After the bounce, it drifted to the left and then bounced a second time. It was during this second bounce that the horizontal stabilator made contact with runway lights. In response, the pilot increased engine power and performed a go-around, aborting the landing. After becoming airborne, the pilot circled back and executed another landing, which was normal.
Pilot Experience
Prior to the accident flight, the pilot had accumulated 1 hour of night flight time and had performed 3 landings in the preceding 90 days. This limited recent night experience may have been relevant to the handling of the aircraft during the landing sequence.
Aftermath
The aircraft sustained damage to the horizontal stabilator from the contact with the runway lights. No other damage was reported. The pilot was able to complete a successful landing on the subsequent attempt without any further issues.