What happened
A pilot flying under visual flight rules (VFR) departed on runway 29 at night. While the sky was dark and moonless, stars were visible at the departure airport, though haze was present to the west. The pilot had received a weather briefing indicating that VFR conditions would prevail at his destination, located 31 miles to the southeast.
During a right, downwind departure turn, the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at approximately 900 feet. While flying within the clouds, the pilot reported altitude fluctuations and difficulty maintaining wing level. During this period, an audible "pop" occurred, after which the aircraft became difficult to control.
The pilot eventually broke out of the cloud layer at 2,700 feet and continued to his original destination to land. To maintain control of the aircraft during the flight, the pilot had to apply full right rudder, use 90 percent of the available right aileron, and reduce power on the right engine.
The investigation
Post-flight inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to the outboard five feet of the left wing leading edge. Investigators also found embedded tree debris within the damaged area.