Narrative:

On a VFR flight while returning to ZZZ on july/tues/2005 I started to encounter diminishing WX in the area of mgj. Using my FAA VFR sectional chart and a hand held GPS; I located the closest airport to my position. Seeing thunderstorms and lightning directly ahead; I decided to turn around and land at ZZZ1; which I flew over a few miles back. In preparing to land and on final approach; I realized a string of orange cones along the runway centerline. Closer to my touchdown point; I saw long tree limbs and logs also on the runway. I was committed to land; so I decided to land with my right main on the paved runway and the left main in the grass. After a successful landing and avoiding all runway obstacles; slowing the aircraft down I saw what appeared to be a flexible bush/shrub 5 ft or 6 ft high a few feet off the runway edge. I knew at this point it would contact my left wing; it did; and caused left wing leading edge damage and ruptured the fuel tank. This bush proved to be a small juniper tree. I stopped the airplane about 50 yds into the wet grass and weeds; shut down everything; then exited the plane. Upon further inspection of the runway; I saw unpainted 55 gallon drums and more logs on the remainder of runway. This airport was not properly or safely closed. There were no passenger; no injuries; and no property damage. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that an FAA inspector examined the aircraft. The damage was minor; so the aircraft was repaired on site and flown out. He has not heard anything further about this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR PA28 PLT AVOIDING SEVERE WX REVERSED COURSE AND DECIDED TO LAND. THE ACFT'S L WING LEADING EDGE WAS DAMAGED BY A TREE STRIKE WHILE AVOIDING RWY OBSTACLES.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT WHILE RETURNING TO ZZZ ON JULY/TUES/2005 I STARTED TO ENCOUNTER DIMINISHING WX IN THE AREA OF MGJ. USING MY FAA VFR SECTIONAL CHART AND A HAND HELD GPS; I LOCATED THE CLOSEST ARPT TO MY POSITION. SEEING TSTMS AND LIGHTNING DIRECTLY AHEAD; I DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND LAND AT ZZZ1; WHICH I FLEW OVER A FEW MILES BACK. IN PREPARING TO LAND AND ON FINAL APCH; I REALIZED A STRING OF ORANGE CONES ALONG THE RWY CTRLINE. CLOSER TO MY TOUCHDOWN POINT; I SAW LONG TREE LIMBS AND LOGS ALSO ON THE RWY. I WAS COMMITTED TO LAND; SO I DECIDED TO LAND WITH MY R MAIN ON THE PAVED RWY AND THE L MAIN IN THE GRASS. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL LNDG AND AVOIDING ALL RWY OBSTACLES; SLOWING THE ACFT DOWN I SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FLEXIBLE BUSH/SHRUB 5 FT OR 6 FT HIGH A FEW FEET OFF THE RWY EDGE. I KNEW AT THIS POINT IT WOULD CONTACT MY L WING; IT DID; AND CAUSED L WING LEADING EDGE DAMAGE AND RUPTURED THE FUEL TANK. THIS BUSH PROVED TO BE A SMALL JUNIPER TREE. I STOPPED THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 50 YDS INTO THE WET GRASS AND WEEDS; SHUT DOWN EVERYTHING; THEN EXITED THE PLANE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE RWY; I SAW UNPAINTED 55 GALLON DRUMS AND MORE LOGS ON THE REMAINDER OF RWY. THIS ARPT WAS NOT PROPERLY OR SAFELY CLOSED. THERE WERE NO PAX; NO INJURIES; AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE ACFT. THE DAMAGE WAS MINOR; SO THE ACFT WAS REPAIRED ON SITE AND FLOWN OUT. HE HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING FURTHER ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.