Private pilot lost aircraft directional control during landing resulting in minor damage to the airc...

Attributes
ACN	276895
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ukt airport : uki
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 48 flight time total : 425 flight time type : 199
ASRS Report	276895
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying locally on a hot friday afternoon, I developed a slight headache and decided to head back to the airport, descending to pattern altitude. I was reaching to put a cigarette in the ashtray when it fell to the floor of the cabin. I reached for it and felt a sharp pain in my back. The plane at this point was slightly out of control because of what was happening inside the plane. I felt I had to land the plane but to make matters worse, I misjudged and landed too quickly and very badly. I was a bit shaken on my rollout and on the left side of the runway, slightly in the grass. My left main landing gear strut hit a landing light causing insignificant damage to the plane, minor damage to the light. (Naturally, I agreed to pay for any damage to the light.) after taxiing to my hangar where I parked the plane, I was visibly shaken and had a severe headache. I got out of the plane and went into the hangar to calm down and consider the incident. My conclusions: my priorities were out of balance and decision making poor. I should get some serious remedial training before flying as PIC again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT LOST ACFT DIRECTIONAL CTL DURING LNDG RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT LNDG GEAR AND A RWY LIGHT.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING LOCALLY ON A HOT FRIDAY AFTERNOON, I DEVELOPED A SLIGHT HEADACHE AND DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO THE ARPT, DSNDING TO PATTERN ALT. I WAS REACHING TO PUT A CIGARETTE IN THE ASHTRAY WHEN IT FELL TO THE FLOOR OF THE CABIN. I REACHED FOR IT AND FELT A SHARP PAIN IN MY BACK. THE PLANE AT THIS POINT WAS SLIGHTLY OUT OF CTL BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING INSIDE THE PLANE. I FELT I HAD TO LAND THE PLANE BUT TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, I MISJUDGED AND LANDED TOO QUICKLY AND VERY BADLY. I WAS A BIT SHAKEN ON MY ROLLOUT AND ON THE L SIDE OF THE RWY, SLIGHTLY IN THE GRASS. MY L MAIN LNDG GEAR STRUT HIT A LNDG LIGHT CAUSING INSIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE PLANE, MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LIGHT. (NATURALLY, I AGREED TO PAY FOR ANY DAMAGE TO THE LIGHT.) AFTER TAXIING TO MY HANGAR WHERE I PARKED THE PLANE, I WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN AND HAD A SEVERE HEADACHE. I GOT OUT OF THE PLANE AND WENT INTO THE HANGAR TO CALM DOWN AND CONSIDER THE INCIDENT. MY CONCLUSIONS: MY PRIORITIES WERE OUT OF BAL AND DECISION MAKING POOR. I SHOULD GET SOME SERIOUS REMEDIAL TRAINING BEFORE FLYING AS PIC AGAIN.

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.

Private pilot lost aircraft directional control during landing resulting in minor damage to the aircraft landing gear and a runway light.