Narrative:

I taxied out at riverton, wy, IFR to denver, co. I picked up my clearance to denver from ZLC, cleared as filed, FL210. The flight plan route is direct medicine bow J-170 denver FL210. About 20 or 30 mi southeast of riverton, I requested and received a vector direct to estus intersection, heading 125 degrees. A few mins later I was handed over to ZDV and given a heading of 135 degrees to intercept the denver 313 degree radial. About 30 mi northwest of laramie our company called and requested that I go to hayden and pick up additional freight. I contacted ZDV and requested a clearance to hayden. They gave me a heading of 210 degrees, direct hayden when able, FL210. Approximately 50 or 55 mi out of hayden, center cleared me pilot's discretion to 14000 ft. I started my descent and tuned the AWOS in on my #2 radio. It reported clear below 12000 ft, visibility 10 mi, winds west at 5. Somewhere between 16000 ft and 14000 ft I had the airport in sight and canceled IFR. Center suggested that I stay with them for a while for other traffic, a westwind inbound from the east. Continuing my descent I tuned the #2 radio to 122.1 and filed a flight plan to denver. Somewhere between 15 and 25 mi out, still descending with the airport in sight, I don't know the altitude, I felt something hit the airplane and the left windshield shattered. Unable to see I moved to the right seat and continued inbound. I appeared to be well above the terrain and didn't have any idea what I had hit. I suspected a goose, or my worst fear, another airplane. I tried to evaluate the damage as best I could. The airplane was pulling hard to the left and the left engine controls were jammed, but both engines were running okay. I continued for the airport, crossed midfield and made a right downwind for runway 10. I turned final and shut the left engine down and landed. After I was on the ground and had a chance to look the airplane over, I found tree branches on the airplane and realized what had happened. Even though I appeared to be well above the terrain, and had the airport in sight all the way, obviously I wasn't high enough. Fortunately, I was the only person on board and there were no injuries.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARGO CARRIER ON DSCNT HITS TREE.

Narrative: I TAXIED OUT AT RIVERTON, WY, IFR TO DENVER, CO. I PICKED UP MY CLRNC TO DENVER FROM ZLC, CLRED AS FILED, FL210. THE FLT PLAN RTE IS DIRECT MEDICINE BOW J-170 DENVER FL210. ABOUT 20 OR 30 MI SE OF RIVERTON, I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A VECTOR DIRECT TO ESTUS INTXN, HDG 125 DEGS. A FEW MINS LATER I WAS HANDED OVER TO ZDV AND GIVEN A HDG OF 135 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE DENVER 313 DEG RADIAL. ABOUT 30 MI NW OF LARAMIE OUR COMPANY CALLED AND REQUESTED THAT I GO TO HAYDEN AND PICK UP ADDITIONAL FREIGHT. I CONTACTED ZDV AND REQUESTED A CLRNC TO HAYDEN. THEY GAVE ME A HDG OF 210 DEGS, DIRECT HAYDEN WHEN ABLE, FL210. APPROX 50 OR 55 MI OUT OF HAYDEN, CTR CLRED ME PLT'S DISCRETION TO 14000 FT. I STARTED MY DSCNT AND TUNED THE AWOS IN ON MY #2 RADIO. IT RPTED CLR BELOW 12000 FT, VISIBILITY 10 MI, WINDS W AT 5. SOMEWHERE BTWN 16000 FT AND 14000 FT I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND CANCELED IFR. CTR SUGGESTED THAT I STAY WITH THEM FOR A WHILE FOR OTHER TFC, A WESTWIND INBOUND FROM THE E. CONTINUING MY DSCNT I TUNED THE #2 RADIO TO 122.1 AND FILED A FLT PLAN TO DENVER. SOMEWHERE BTWN 15 AND 25 MI OUT, STILL DSNDING WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT, I DON'T KNOW THE ALT, I FELT SOMETHING HIT THE AIRPLANE AND THE L WINDSHIELD SHATTERED. UNABLE TO SEE I MOVED TO THE R SEAT AND CONTINUED INBOUND. I APPEARED TO BE WELL ABOVE THE TERRAIN AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I HAD HIT. I SUSPECTED A GOOSE, OR MY WORST FEAR, ANOTHER AIRPLANE. I TRIED TO EVALUATE THE DAMAGE AS BEST I COULD. THE AIRPLANE WAS PULLING HARD TO THE L AND THE L ENG CTLS WERE JAMMED, BUT BOTH ENGS WERE RUNNING OKAY. I CONTINUED FOR THE ARPT, CROSSED MIDFIELD AND MADE A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 10. I TURNED FINAL AND SHUT THE L ENG DOWN AND LANDED. AFTER I WAS ON THE GND AND HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK THE AIRPLANE OVER, I FOUND TREE BRANCHES ON THE AIRPLANE AND REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. EVEN THOUGH I APPEARED TO BE WELL ABOVE THE TERRAIN, AND HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT ALL THE WAY, OBVIOUSLY I WASN'T HIGH ENOUGH. FORTUNATELY, I WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON BOARD AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

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.