What happened
During a night departure from an unlighted turf runway, the pilot attempted takeoff from runway 32. As the aircraft reached rotation speed, the pilot lost visual contact with the runway ahead and the trees located on the sides of the runway. During this period, the right wing of the unspecified aircraft struck trees on the right side of the runway before the end of the departure surface was reached.
Despite the impact, the pilot continued the takeoff and successfully climbed to altitude. The pilot noted uncertainty regarding whether a slight right turn had been initiated or if the aircraft had drifted to the right due to wind. At the time of the event, winds in the area were reported to be from 210 to 220 degrees at 10 to 14 knots.
The investigation
Following the incident, the aircraft landed at a nearby airport. A subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear had been bent rearward. Additionally, investigators found that the spar of the right horizontal stabilator had also been bent rearward.