Departure and Initial Approach
The pilot departed at 0030 for a cross-country flight in night visual meteorological conditions. After two hours of flight, the pilot entered a left downwind leg for runway 26. Dissatisfied with the approach, the pilot executed a go-around and reentered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 8.
The Base Leg and Tree Strike
Once established in the pattern for runway 8, the pilot reported turning onto the base leg. After rolling the wings level on base, the runway environment disappeared from view. The landing light then illuminated a row of trees ahead. The pilot responded by adding full power, closing the carburetor heat, and establishing a climb attitude. Despite these actions, the airplane contacted the trees and sustained damage. No major impact occurred, and the pilot reestablished the approach, completed the landing without further event, and taxied to the ramp.
Pilot Experience
The pilot had logged 5.4 hours of total night flight time at the time of the accident. This flight was recorded as the pilot's first night flight as pilot-in-command.