What happened
During a nighttime approach to the airport, a passenger notified the pilot that the aircraft was flying too low. Following this alert, the pilot lost visual contact with the runway. The Cessna impacted trees located approximately 2 miles from the runway threshold. After the impact, the pilot continued the approach and completed a landing without further incident.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft revealed damage to several components. There was spar damage to the leading edge of the left wing, along with damage to the left flap, the left horizontal stabilizer, and the left landing gear door. Additionally, the left wing outboard recognition light was damaged, and investigators found numerous tree buds inside the light fixture cavity.