Event FTW85LA183

Factual narrative

ON VISUAL FINAL APCH TO THE ARPT AT NIGHT THE ACFT ENTERED GROUND FOG. REFLECTION OF THE LANDING LIGHTS IN THE FOG WAS DISTRACTING. THE ACFT LANDED IN THE ADJACENT SEAPLANE LANDING AREA INSTEAD OF ON THE HARD SURFACE RWY. A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE APRT DISCLOSED DIFFERENCIATION BTW THE COLORED LIGHTS OF THE WATERWAY AND THE WHITE LIGHTS ON THE RWY WAS ONLY EFFECTIVE WHEN BOTH SETS OF LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE, A CONDITION WHICH IS LESS LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN IT IS MOST NEEDED; I.E. IN CONDITIONS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY OR AT LOWER ALTITUDES ABOVE THE GROUND. THE INSPECTION ALSO REVEALED THE WATERWAY LIGHTS WERE BRIGHTER; THE INTENSITY OF THE RWY LIGHTS COULD NOT BE CHANGED BY RADIO. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12