On August 23, 1997, at 2020 central daylight time, a Cessna 177, N29379, operated by a private pilot collided with the terrain while attempting an aborted landing on runway 28 (2,796' x 60')at the Maple Lake Municipal Airport, Maple Lake, Minnesota. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from Litchfield, Minnesota, at 1950 central daylight time. The pilot reported that he performed a go-around on his first landing attempt because his airspeed was too fast on final approach. On the second landing attempt, he stated the nose wheel touched down first and the airplane bounced. The pilot reported the airplane "...bounced more violently the second time." He reported he added full power, but the engine coughed so he removed the carburetor heat and reduce flaps 10 degrees. He reported the airplane "...hit the runway again and so I gave it full flaps to raise the stall speed. I then waited for acceleration and then reduced flaps 10 degrees again but the airplane was not gaining altitude or speed properly." The airplane veered off the right side of the runway where it touched down in a corn field. Official sunset on the day of the accident was 1909 cdt. The pilot indicated on NTSB Form 6120.1/2 that he had a total of 3 hours of night flight time. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot was not night current at the time of the accident.