Incident Overview
A Title 14 CFR Part 135 cargo flight collided with a tree while conducting an instrument approach in dark night conditions to its destination airport. Despite the impact, the flight continued and landed without further incident.
Approach and Weather
The flight crew reported they were cleared for the LDA-2 approach to runway 8 and were inside the final approach fix when the collision occurred. The LDA-2 approach has a minimum descent altitude of 1,000 feet, with a distance of 3.2 miles from the final approach fix to the touchdown zone. Weather at the destination airport at the time of arrival included 2 miles visibility, light snow, and an 800-foot obscured ceiling.
Inspection Findings
An FAA aviation safety inspector examined the airplane and discovered tree fragments embedded in the right wing. The inspector identified the struck tree as being approximately 2 miles from the airport and located 0.24 miles north of the course centerline. The tree's base elevation was between 200 and 300 feet MSL, and its height was estimated at 100 feet AGL.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane sustained damage to the right side of the nose section and the inboard section of the right wing.