Summary
An airplane struck a corn crop while attempting to land on an unlit grass airstrip at night. The pilot had planned to conduct a low approach to assess visibility, intending to divert to a nearby airport if conditions were insufficient. The airplane impacted the ground approximately two-tenths of a mile from the runway threshold, resulting in the collapse of the nose gear.
Sequence of Events
The pilot was making a low approach over the unlit grass airstrip to determine if he could see it well enough to land. He stated that if unable to see adequately, he planned to fly to a nearby airport. The field elevation at the airstrip is 1,000 feet. The pilot set his altimeter after listening to the Automated Terminal Information Service (ATIS) of an airport approximately 28 statute miles away.
During the final approach, the pilot was able to see the lights from an open hangar at the far end of the airstrip. He descended in the general direction of the runway threshold, using a flashlight in the cockpit to view the altimeter. The pilot reported that he next became aware of the sound of corn stalks hitting the airplane. The airplane then impacted the ground and turned to the right, with the nose gear collapsing. The aircraft contacted the corn stalks approximately two-tenths of a mile from the end of the runway.
Pilot Statements
The pilot stated: "I would say I failed to monitor the rate of sink for the fly-by/approach and the situation was due to pilot error."
Damage
The airplane sustained a collapsed nose gear after impacting the ground.