Corp light transport hits tree on night approach.

Attributes
ACN	283345
Time
Date	199409
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 4r2
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 1225
ASRS Report	283345
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had 4r2 (horseshoe bay) in sight from 4000 ft and 5 or 6 mi to the northeast. I canceled my IFR flight plan with houston center and proceeded visually, entering left traffic for runway 35. On final I noted that I was low but I still had the runway end in sight. On short final I saw the top of a tree or bush entering my flight path. I added takeoff power and increased pitch. Then I felt the aircraft strike something. It really felt more like turbulence than hitting something solid. After starting the climb I called for flaps retract to 15 degrees, but they wouldn't come up (due to activation of the anti- asymmetric flap system). About that time I noticed it was taking most of left aileron to keep the aircraft upright. I declared an emergency and proceeded to austin and landed safely. The aircraft sustained damage to the right flap, outer gear door and landing light lens. A simple single light bar VASI would be very useful for improving night approachs due to the lack of lighted reference points available on the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP LTT HITS TREE ON NIGHT APCH.

Narrative: I HAD 4R2 (HORSESHOE BAY) IN SIGHT FROM 4000 FT AND 5 OR 6 MI TO THE NE. I CANCELED MY IFR FLT PLAN WITH HOUSTON CTR AND PROCEEDED VISUALLY, ENTERING L TFC FOR RWY 35. ON FINAL I NOTED THAT I WAS LOW BUT I STILL HAD THE RWY END IN SIGHT. ON SHORT FINAL I SAW THE TOP OF A TREE OR BUSH ENTERING MY FLT PATH. I ADDED TKOF PWR AND INCREASED PITCH. THEN I FELT THE ACFT STRIKE SOMETHING. IT REALLY FELT MORE LIKE TURB THAN HITTING SOMETHING SOLID. AFTER STARTING THE CLB I CALLED FOR FLAPS RETRACT TO 15 DEGS, BUT THEY WOULDN'T COME UP (DUE TO ACTIVATION OF THE ANTI- ASYMMETRIC FLAP SYS). ABOUT THAT TIME I NOTICED IT WAS TAKING MOST OF L AILERON TO KEEP THE ACFT UPRIGHT. I DECLARED AN EMER AND PROCEEDED TO AUSTIN AND LANDED SAFELY. THE ACFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE R FLAP, OUTER GEAR DOOR AND LNDG LIGHT LENS. A SIMPLE SINGLE LIGHT BAR VASI WOULD BE VERY USEFUL FOR IMPROVING NIGHT APCHS DUE TO THE LACK OF LIGHTED REF POINTS AVAILABLE ON THE GND.

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.