What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
In March 30, 1998, about 2100 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172M, N9233H, registered to moerair inc, operating as a 14 CFR part 91 instructional flight, collided with runway approach lights for runway 23 at tri-cities regional airport, Bristol, tennesse. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage, and the flight instructor, (CFI) and student pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight orignated from greenville-green county municipal airport, Tennessee, about 20 minutes before the accident. The flight was a dual, night VFR cross country flight in preparation for the students solo cross country. According to the CFI, when they rolled wings level on final approach, the student did not have the runway in sight and was being directed by the CFI. In the process of acquiring a visual on the runway, the flight had gotton low and slow, and the student was making a correction when the wheels collided with an approach light pole. The airplane came to rest inverted, about 300 feet from the runway threshold. (-23) flight was dual VFR, night cross-country from green count municipal a irport to tri-cities regional airport, both airports in Tennessee. Upon rolling straight and level on final approach course for landing at tri-cities, student pilot was on the controls. The instructor requested the student to take corrective action for being too low and too slow. Prior to student initiating corrective action, the aircraft impacted the approach lights for the runway. The appproach lights were on, the VASI was working and the ILS was not tuned in.
As the FAA filed it
IN MARCH 30, 1998, ABOUT 2100 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172M, N9233H, REGISTERED TO MOERAIR INC, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH RUNWAY APPROACH LIGHTS FOR RUNWAY 23 AT TRI-CITIES REGIONAL AIRPORT, BRISTOL, TENNESSE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, (CFI) AND STUDENT PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGNATED FROM GREENVILLE-GREEN COUNTY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, TENNESSEE, ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS A DUAL, NIGHT VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN PREPARATION FOR THE STUDENTS SOLO CROSS COUNTRY. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, WHEN THEY ROLLED WINGS LEVEL ON FINAL APPROACH, THE STUDENT DID NOT HAVE THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT AND WAS BEING DIRECTED BY THE CFI. IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING A VISUAL ON THE RUNWAY, THE FLIGHT HAD GOTTON LOW AND SLOW, AND THE STUDENT WAS MAKING A CORRECTION WHEN THE WHEELS COLLIDED WITH AN APPROACH LIGHT POLE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED, ABOUT 300 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. (-23) FLIGHT WAS DUAL VFR, NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FROM GREEN COUNT MUNICIPAL A IRPORT TO TRI-CITIES REGIONAL AIRPORT, BOTH AIRPORTS IN TENNESSEE. UPON ROLLING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL ON FINAL APPROACH COURSE FOR LANDING AT TRI-CITIES, STUDENT PILOT WAS ON THE CONTROLS. THE INSTRUCTOR REQUESTED THE STUDENT TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR BEING TOO LOW AND TOO SLOW. PRIOR TO STUDENT INITIATING CORRECTIVE ACTION, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE APPROACH LIGHTS FOR THE RUNWAY. THE APPPROACH LIGHTS WERE ON, THE VASI WAS WORKING AND THE ILS WAS NOT TUNED IN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.