Atx small transport hard landing and runway excursion following VOR approach to vih at night.

Attributes
ACN	167949
Time
Date	199101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vih
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 258
ASRS Report	167949
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : regained aircraft control none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After completing the VOR runway 22 approach to vih, and while monitoring to align with runway for landing, aircraft impacted runway hard approximately 1000' from approach end in a hard landing. Approach was made with aircraft landing lights off because of reported fog and on extremely dark night. While making final alignment for landing, aircraft lights were turned on and all depth perception was lost in a white glare. Power was advanced and nose raised slightly to round out for landing when impact occurred. Runway was covered with approximately 3' solid smooth ice. After impact aircraft departed runway where directional control was regained. I had never encountered this glare condition before and was momentarily distracted by it. The landing was to the point of being committed and I do not feel a missed approach could have been successfully or safely accomplished. I feel more information about this phenomenon needs to be available to increase awareness of the possibility of encountering such a condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT HARD LNDG AND RWY EXCURSION FOLLOWING VOR APCH TO VIH AT NIGHT.

Narrative: AFTER COMPLETING THE VOR RWY 22 APCH TO VIH, AND WHILE MONITORING TO ALIGN WITH RWY FOR LNDG, ACFT IMPACTED RWY HARD APPROX 1000' FROM APCH END IN A HARD LNDG. APCH WAS MADE WITH ACFT LNDG LIGHTS OFF BECAUSE OF RPTED FOG AND ON EXTREMELY DARK NIGHT. WHILE MAKING FINAL ALIGNMENT FOR LNDG, ACFT LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON AND ALL DEPTH PERCEPTION WAS LOST IN A WHITE GLARE. PWR WAS ADVANCED AND NOSE RAISED SLIGHTLY TO ROUND OUT FOR LNDG WHEN IMPACT OCCURRED. RWY WAS COVERED WITH APPROX 3' SOLID SMOOTH ICE. AFTER IMPACT ACFT DEPARTED RWY WHERE DIRECTIONAL CTL WAS REGAINED. I HAD NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS GLARE CONDITION BEFORE AND WAS MOMENTARILY DISTRACTED BY IT. THE LNDG WAS TO THE POINT OF BEING COMMITTED AND I DO NOT FEEL A MISSED APCH COULD HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY OR SAFELY ACCOMPLISHED. I FEEL MORE INFO ABOUT THIS PHENOMENON NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ENCOUNTERING SUCH A CONDITION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.