GA pilot struck tree during inclement WX.

Attributes
ACN	434401
Time
Date	199904
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hmz.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc tower : msp.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other other vortac
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	434401
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Departed shenendoah valley regional (shd) XA00, VFR, en route batavia, ny (qvc) elevation 1201 ft, cloud base 5000 ft. Visibility 10+ mi. Began below cloud base to north. Arrived cumberland regional. AWOS reporting 3300 ft scattered 4000 ft overcast. Tops of terrain not obscured, 10 mi visibility. Proceed north of bedford. AWOS not reporting turbulence encountered just before attempt to call altoona FSS. Inadvertent IFR. Tried to climb from 3400 ft to higher, but encountered icing. Tried lower. Began left turn. Turbulence made altitude hold impossible. Approximately 90 degree turn to left, struck top of tree on ridge line. Approximately altitude 3100 ft. Continued turn to south until VFR again. Landed bedford without incident. Aircraft leading edges damaged. Right rear elevator and stabilizer damaged. No change to flight characteristics. Cause: too close to cloud base because of attention on cockpit (radios) and loss of visual reference.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT STRUCK TREE DURING INCLEMENT WX.

Narrative: DEPARTED SHENENDOAH VALLEY REGIONAL (SHD) XA00, VFR, ENRTE BATAVIA, NY (QVC) ELEVATION 1201 FT, CLOUD BASE 5000 FT. VISIBILITY 10+ MI. BEGAN BELOW CLOUD BASE TO N. ARRIVED CUMBERLAND REGIONAL. AWOS RPTING 3300 FT SCATTERED 4000 FT OVCST. TOPS OF TERRAIN NOT OBSCURED, 10 MI VISIBILITY. PROCEED N OF BEDFORD. AWOS NOT RPTING TURB ENCOUNTERED JUST BEFORE ATTEMPT TO CALL ALTOONA FSS. INADVERTENT IFR. TRIED TO CLB FROM 3400 FT TO HIGHER, BUT ENCOUNTERED ICING. TRIED LOWER. BEGAN L TURN. TURB MADE ALT HOLD IMPOSSIBLE. APPROX 90 DEG TURN TO L, STRUCK TOP OF TREE ON RIDGE LINE. APPROX ALT 3100 FT. CONTINUED TURN TO S UNTIL VFR AGAIN. LANDED BEDFORD WITHOUT INCIDENT. ACFT LEADING EDGES DAMAGED. R REAR ELEVATOR AND STABILIZER DAMAGED. NO CHANGE TO FLT CHARACTERISTICS. CAUSE: TOO CLOSE TO CLOUD BASE BECAUSE OF ATTN ON COCKPIT (RADIOS) AND LOSS OF VISUAL REF.

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.