On March 30, 1998, about 2100 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172M, N9233H, registered to Moerair, Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, collided with runway approach lights for runway 23 at Tri-Cities Regional Airport, Bristol, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage, and the flight instructor, (CFI) and student pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from Greeneville-Green County Municipal Airport, Tennessee, about 20 minutes before the accident. The flight was a dual, night VFR cross country flight in preparation for the student's solo cross country. According to the CFI, when they rolled wings level on final approach, the student did not have the runway in sight and was being directed by the CFI. In the process of acquiring a visual on the runway, the flight had gotten low and slow, and the student was making a correction when the wheels collided with an approach light pole. The airplane came to rest inverted, about 300 feet from the runway threshhold.