General aviation pilot reported contacting tree tops on a night visual landing. The leading edge of one wing was dented.
Synopsis
General aviation pilot reported contacting tree tops on a night visual landing. The leading edge of one wing was dented.
Narrative
I was practicing night landings at ZZZ for currency requirements. I had completed several landings on Runway XX. I decided to switch to Runway XY since it was a shorter narrower Runway and would present a different sight picture more similar to a smaller rural airport with no glide-slope indicators. I departed Runway XX and turned to enter the pattern for left hand traffic for Runway XY. I was aware of the adjacent roadway and focused on maintaining a stabilized approach by referencing the Runway end identifier lights. On short final I briefly saw the tops of trees in my landing and taxi lights and heard limbs impacting the airplane. I continued the approach and landed without further incident or control issues. Upon landing I inspected the airframe and noted a dent in the leading edge of the outboard section on the right wing. The dent was approximately 18' from the wing tip. There were no other areas that showed any evidence of contact. I think the time of year was a contributing factor as the trees had no leaves; making them harder to see from a distance. After completing several earlier landings successfully on a Runway with PAPI; I did not properly assess the risk and challenges of a night approach to smaller and narrower Runway without glidescope indications. Runway XY has a displaced threshold and my focus on maintaining a stable approach using the Runway end lights as a reference caused too short of an approach. After discussing this with my Instructor he also suggested that switching from Runway XX; which is wider; to the relatively narrower Runway XY could have caused a lower approach due to the different visualization presented by the narrower Runway lighting. I had previously determined to use instrument approaches during night flights to ensure a clear glidepath. I became to comfortable during this flight as it was pattern work at an airport with which I am familiar. I should have recognized Runway XY did not have a published approach making the visual approach more risky in the dark; moonless night.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.