Incident Overview
A pilot reported that during an approach to Runway 16, he observed fog around the runway lights while flying over the airport to enter the downwind leg. On short final, the aircraft was below the level of trees that bordered the east side of the runway. The pilot lost ground references at that point.
Flight Control Actions
In an effort to reduce drag, the pilot retracted the flaps. However, the aircraft was not accelerated to its best rate of climb speed, and the pitch attitude was not properly positioned to account for the flap retraction. As a result, the aircraft did not climb and subsequently struck trees located east of the runway.
Heading and Instrument Information
The pilot stated that the heading was maintained at 160 degrees. He also informed an FAA inspector that the heading indicator was reset during the approach and the turn to Runway 16.