LAX01LA030

While attempting to land, the airplane collided with desert brush short of the runway shearing off the nose landing gear, damaging both wings, and twisting the fuselage. Arrival at the airport was after sunset. The airport does not have runway lights available for night flights. The pilot indicated that he oriented himself to the runway utilizing the surrounding ground lighting and lights from the company's open hangar. On final approach during the first landing, the pilot initiated a go-around because he was not set up properly and did not like the visual reference of the approach. On the second approach he lined up with what he believed was the centerline of the runway. He looked down to verify that the landing gear extended lights were illuminated. When he looked back outside, his vision was obscured. Another go-around was initiated; however, the airplane touched down. The pilot heard a loud noise and then saw the desert brush. The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Official sunset was at 1703.

On October 31, 2000, at 1746 hours Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-32R-301, N8139A, undershot the runway and collided with desert brush at the Dayton Valley Airpark Airport, Dayton Valley, Nevada. The airplane, operated by Aero Leasing, d.b.a. Union Flights, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the business flight that departed the Redding Municipal Airport, Redding, California, at 1645, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was scheduled to terminate at the Dayton Valley Airpark.

In an interview with a Safety Board investigator, the pilot stated that he and the passenger, who is a mechanic for Union Flights, had flown to Redding earlier in the day to work on a company airplane. No abnormalities were noted on the flight to Redding or the return trip to Dayton. He noted that the arrival to Dayton was after sunset, and reported that the airport does not have lighting.

In the pilot's written statement to the Safety Board, he reported that he oriented himself to runway 23 utilizing the surrounding ground lighting and lights from the company's open hangar. He indicated that he did not like what he saw on the first approach and initiated a go-around. On final for the second approach, at 200 feet above ground level (agl), he verified that there was a three green light indication on the instrument panel, confirming that the landing gear was in the down and locked position. When he looked outside he stated that the "lights were fuzzy and not sharp." He thought he had flown through a dust cloud. The next thing he remembered was the passenger stating that they had just crashed. The pilot further reported that the weather was clear and the winds were calm.

According to a Sun and Moon program utilized by the Safety Board, official sunset was 1703.