Accident Sequence
During a night flight returning to his home airport, the pilot conducted a low approach approximately 50 feet above the runway to clear any wildlife that may have been present. After turning crosswind, he turned off the landing lights because of high ambient glare that temporarily impaired his night vision. He maintained full cruise power and did not set the elevator trim to maximum up. Upon turning onto the downwind leg, the altimeter was dark and unreadable. Shortly after, the airplane unexpectedly contacted the ground, resulting in structural damage to both wings and the fuselage. The airplane came to rest upright in a nose-down attitude.
Pilot's Actions
The pilot reported that he had made numerous night landings at the same airport. During the accident landing, he did not cross-check the altimeter during the approach and had not properly configured the airplane for landing. He stated that if he had followed his normal regimen and properly configured the airplane, it would have been about 1,000 feet higher at the point of impact. He also noted that there were no mechanical problems with the airframe or engine at the time of the accident.
Environmental Conditions
The downwind portion of the traffic pattern was situated on a gradual slope approximately 200 feet higher than the runway elevation. The approach and landing occurred in dark night conditions.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the pilot's reported actions—including neglecting to set elevator trim, maintaining full cruise power, turning off landing lights, and failing to cross-check the altimeter or configure the airplane for landing—led to the inadvertent ground contact. No mechanical failures were identified.