SMA PHOTO PLT HIT TWR.

Narrative

OUR DAY STARTED LATE SINCE HAZE WAS LIMITING VISIBILITY. I MET UP WITH THE CHIEF PLT AT APPROX XA30 AM. HE GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO FINISH TAKING PICTURES IN AN AREA IN ADAMS COUNTY. I TOOK PICTURES FOR APPROX 2 HRS BEFORE TAKING ON FUEL AT PLD. SHORTLY BEFORE XDPM. I DEPARTED PLD TO FINISH MY WORK IN ADAMS COUNTY. I WAS TAKING PICTURES OF HOMES ON A N-S ROAD THAT LED INTO THE TOWN OF DECATUR. THERE WAS A TWR E OF THE ROAD THAT I WAS AWARE OF FROM CONSULTING MAPS. I HAD SUFFICIENT ALT; AND HAD TO FLY PAST THE TWR NBOUND. AFTER AWHILE; I REVERSED COURSE AND STARTED FLYING SBOUND. THEN HDG SBOUND; I STRUCK THE TWR WITHOUT EVER SEEING IT AS IT WAS BELOW THE NOSE OF THE PLANE AS I WAS APCHING IT. THE WIND WAS SIGNIFICANT AND GUSTY AND THE SKY WAS VERY HAZY. SOMEHOW I LOST ENOUGH ALT AND DIRECTION BEING OCCUPIED BY STAYING AWAY FROM THE TOWN AND PROCEEDING BACK ON COURSE THAT I NEVER SAW THE TWR. AFTER STRIKING THE TWR I ASSESSED THE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE L LNDG GEAR HAD BEEN SEVERED HALFWAY DOWN THE STRUT; THE TRAILING EDGE FLAP WAS DAMAGED; AND THERE WAS A TEAR IN THE SKIN AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING. THE PLANE CONTINUED TO FLY WITHOUT ANY CTL PROBS. ONE OF MY FIRST CONCERNS WAS THAT THERE MIGHT BE A FUEL LEAK IN THE DAMAGED WING. I DETERMINED THERE WAS NO FLUID LEAKAGE VISUALLY OR WITH MY FUEL INDICATOR. I CLBED TO A HIGHER ALT AND CONTACTED A COMPANY PLT ON THE RADIO. HE WAS ABLE TO CONTACT THE CHIEF PLT; AND THE 3 OF US ASSESSED THE SIT. I MET UP WITH THE COMPANY PLT AT AN ALT OF 3500 FT. HE DID A VISUAL ASSESSMENT OF MY PLANE; AND DID NOT DETERMINE ANY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE. THE CHIEF PLT AND I DECIDED AN EMER LNDG AT IND WAS THE BEST SOLUTION SINCE EMER EQUIP WAS ON THE FIELD. FLYING BACK TO IND WAS A CONCERN; HOWEVER; WE DECIDED IT WAS THE SAFEST ALTERNATIVE. THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING WITHOUT CTL PROBS. I CLOSELY MONITORED THE FLAP AND LEADING EDGE. SINCE THE TRAILING EDGE FLAP WAS DAMAGED; WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO LEAVE THE FLAPS RETRACTED. ON SHORT FINAL; THE MASTER SWITCH; FUEL VALVE; MIXTURE; AND MAGNETOS WERE SHUT OFF. I TOUCHED DOWN ON THE R WHEEL; THEN APPLIED FULL R AILERON AND UP ELEVATOR TO KEEP THE L STRUT OFF THE RWY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. I LANDED ON THE R SIDE OF THE RWY KNOWING THE ACFT WOULD MOVE TO THE L AFTER THE L STRUT TOUCHED DOWN. I SAFELY EXECUTED THE LNDG WITH MINIMAL MOVEMENT TO THE L AFTER TOUCHDOWN. I RECEIVED MANY COMPLIMENTS ON MY LNDG FROM THE EMER CREW. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.