C172 pilot reported being distracted which allowed aircraft to clip a tree branch and resulted in momentary loss of aircraft control.

Date: 2025-04 · Aircraft: Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 · Phase: approach

Anomalies: inflight-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|inflight-event-encounter-object|inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence

Synopsis

C172 pilot reported being distracted which allowed aircraft to clip a tree branch and resulted in momentary loss of aircraft control.

Narrative

I will give some background before giving the event information. I have been going in and out of small; unpaved and rough airstrips for quite a while now. I usually have no issues operating in and out of such strips and include very thorough consideration before attempting a landing at any of those airstrips. It is a regular practice of mine to become familiar with more rough airfields in the event of future emergencies; general experience and safety.Info on the airport where the event occurred. The airfield (ZZZ) is a small; rough airport that I have flown into a couple times without issues. Takeoffs; Landings; and even Touch and Goes. It is a public airfield and has one grass runway. It is mowed and isn't too rough but rough enough that requires as much runway as possible to make a go-around if needed. A major issue with the runway is the building that was built almost immediately off the approach end of Runway XX. It was built after the airport was established and from what I understand; should not have been built there. Regardless; I take the building into consideration on my landings on Runway XX to ensure no damage or injuries occur. When you take off from Runway XY; the issue is the same. I try to avoid take-offs and landings on runway XY just in case. The surrounding people are not that aware of the airport from what I have concluded from this incident.Info on the aircraft. I have done many hours of flying in the 172. I am very comfortable and familiar with the aircraft and it's limitations. The 172 I was operating (a 1965 Cessna 172F) was fully capable of operating at that airstrip. The winds were roughly 15 knots and gusting to 20. This had no factor and I was used to such winds in the 172.The full event. I was doing my usual landings at 64K without any issues. I was comfortable and familiar with the airport and type of approach I was conducting. I was making the left hand pattern doing touch and goes and full stop taxi backs. I stopped two times off the runway. To clean my windshield and get a picture of the aircraft pre-incident. I got back in and continued operating as normal. After takeoff; I noticed there was someone filming me form a public road after turning onto the left crosswind leg of the pattern. Approximately a quarter of a mile south east of the airport. I didn't really care and carried on with my pattern turning onto the Left Downwind. I turned my base; and then final. On final; I had full flaps and a bit more speed and power to make sure I would safely cross over the top of the building; go between the trees; and make the landing safely making sure to leave enough runway to make a go around if needed. I knew I had plenty of space between the trees and regularly flew between them as is normal for that airport and runway. I started to notice there were people filming on the west side of the airfield as I was on final. I payed no attention to it and continued on. I made the landing safely and proceeded to take off again without issue. After going through the pattern again; I was once again on final and started to notice some more people watching and filming. I started to feel a little nervous but didn't pay any mind to the people again.I went again around the pattern and this is where everything went downhill. On final for the third time; I noticed a car with their hazards on parked on the side of the road just before the approach end of the runway. I noticed that again; they were filming me. I tried to ignore it but got too nervous and worried. My attention let go from flying the aircraft for a short moment and I drifted a little bit to the left without noticing until it was too late. When I got back to the aircraft; the left wingtip smacked a tree branch; destroying it. It wasn't until later in the hanger that I noticed it also removed the UAvionix SkyBeacon ADS-B Out unit. After I hit the wingtip; I initiated a go around and carefully felt how the aircraft was flying. After I decided that itwas okay and not flying unusually; I quickly decided to head directly back to my home airport about 15 NMs away being extremely cautious and planning to land in a field if needed. I made sure to avoid buildings and large areas of population just in case. After making it back to my home airport; I quickly hangered the aircraft to inspect the aircraft and reflect on the entire event. MY PERSONAL CONCLUSION:I think my biggest mistake was not deciding to leave the area after I started to feel nervous with all the people filming. I also let my attention get away from the aircraft which I should never have let happen to begin with. After I hit the wingtip; I think that I should have continued the landing to inspect the damage instead of taking back off and trying to get out of there as fast as possible. In the end: I think I need to get used to more people filming me in flying but I also primarily think that I need to work on my attention skills and making sure I stay focused on flying. I plan to take a short break from flying in general to reflect on this event and figure out how I could have done things differently and how I should handle people filming me when flying in the future. I do my best to avoid any incidents in general and I am just glad that nobody got hurt and no property was damaged besides mine.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.