Cessna 172M N20488 accident near Mcminnville, Oregon

Probable cause

The flight instructor's failure to correct the student pilot's approach path during the final approach, which resulted in a collision with runway threshold lights. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's failure to attain and maintain the recommended approach path.

NTSB analysis

The student pilot reported that on his first night training flight he was practicing takeoffs and landings. He stated that during his third approach, as he was turning from base to final, the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) displayed four red lights, indicating that he was below the recommended approach path. The flight instructor told him that he was too low and to add power. The student pilot added power and the far left PAPI light started to turn from red to white. He reported that on short final, he reduced engine power to idle and that during touchdown, the airplane collided with a runway threshold light. The airplane sustained substantial damage to horizontal stabilizer spar.

The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA16CA011 for the full record.