Departure and Initial Damage
The commercial certificated pilot departed a remote airport for a cross-country flight to his home base. During the departure, the pilot reported hearing a loud bang but did not see what was struck. While in cruise flight after departure, the pilot noticed damage to the leading edge of the right wing.
Interim Landing and Mechanic Consultation
The pilot landed at an interim airport and telephoned a company mechanic. After a discussion with the mechanic, the pilot continued the flight to his base.
Maintenance and Repair
Company personnel initially attributed the wing damage to a bird strike. Maintenance personnel decided the damage was greater than minor, so a temporary patch was fashioned, and the airplane was ferried to the company maintenance facility. When repairs were started, maintenance personnel noted that the impact location on the right wing contained wood splinters.
Photographs and Wing Condition
During a subsequent visit with the NTSB IIC, the pilot produced photographs of the damaged wing. The wing, just outboard of the lift strut, had aft crushing and vertical tearing of the leading edge material. Company maintenance personnel reported that the wing repair consisted of replacement of the leading edge.
Runway Environment
Review of the runway environment revealed 25 to 30 feet high trees along both sides and near the end of the departure airport. The presence of trees adjacent to the runway may have been relevant to the impact, but no causal link is stated in the source.
The entire sequence from departure to repair highlights the initial misinterpretation of the damage source (bird strike) versus the later discovery of wood splinters, which indicates a different type of collision. The pilot's actions, including consulting a mechanic and ferrying the aircraft, are documented without analysis of their appropriateness.