SEDONA, AZ, USA
N161A
CESSNA 310G
THE ACFT LANDED HARD ON RWY 3 WHILE ON A NIGHT VFR PLEASURE FLIGHT. THE PLT INDICATED THAT IT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND HE ELECTED TO FLY THE NDA-A IAP TO INSURE TERRAIN CLEARANCE WHILE LOOKING FOR THE RWY. WHILE ON FINAL APCH HE ACTIVATED THE MIRL ON THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQ. THE PLT STATED, 'THE LIGHTS APPEARED TO BE DIM AND THE LANDING LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE THE RWY SURFACE.' THE PLT ADJUSTED THE ACFT PITCH ATTITUDE TO A SLIGHT NOSE UP AND ADDED POWER. THE PLT STATE THAT THE LANDING WAS 'SUFFICIENTLY HARD TO DAMAGE THE INTERNAL WING STRUCTURE OF THE ACFT.' THE PLT WAS REQUIRED TO WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES FOR DISTANT VISION AND POSSESS CORRECTIVE LENSES FOR NEAR VISION. THE PLT'S NIGHT VISUAL ACUITY IS DEGRADED BY THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECT OF HIS VISION. THIS ASPECT BEING THE NEED FOR CORRECTIVE LENSES. THE EFFECTS OF ALT, HYPOXIA, WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON NIGHT VISION. DETERIORATION IN NIGHT VISION CAN OCCUR AT CABIN PRESSURE ALTS AS LOW AS 5,000 FT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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