NTSB Factual Report

On July 4, 2002, about 2145 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 177, N29321, was substantially damaged during a bounced landing at Millville Municipal Airport, Millville, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight. No flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot reported that he had departed about an hour earlier and had been flying locally. Upon his return to the airport, he positioned the airplane for a landing on runway 10. The pilot further stated:

"...I was high and slow and bounced on the runway and bounced a second time, this time hitting a runway lighting fixture. After the second bounce, I began a go-around procedure, but had sustained damage to the elevator. I continued around the field and landed...."

The pilot reported that the left outboard edge of the horizontal stabilator had struck the light. The stabilator had pivoted laterally, and the inboard portion of the right side had a compression buckle.

According to an inspector from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, Aeronautics Division, two runway lights on the left side of runway 10, about 1,600 to 1,700 feet from the approach end of the runway, in the vicinity of taxiway CHARLIE, were damaged.

Both the 2054, and 2154 weather observations at Millville Airport reported the winds were calm.

According to the pilot's logbook, in the preceding 6 months, he had logged two night flights. One flight was on March 1, 2002, with a duration of 2.6 hours, including 1.3 hours at night, with one night landing. The other flight was on June 5, 2002, for a total duration of 1.4 hours, including 1.0 hour at night with 3 night landings.

In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, Recommendation (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented), the pilot wrote:

"More night flying and landings...."

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper bounced landing recovery. A factor was the dark night conditions.