SMA SINGLE ENG LAND STRUCK TREE DURING FINAL RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO ONE WING; LEADING EDGE ONLY.

Narrative

ACFT INSTRUCTIONAL FLT STARTS APPROX XG00. DEPARTING 5G8 FOR 7 NIGHT LNDGS AT 5G8 TO FAMILIARIZE STUDENT WITH AREA AND ARPT. THEN PROCEEDING TO LBE FOR 1 PRACTICE ILS APCH AND A FULL STOP LNDG AT LBE. WE REFUELED AT APPROX XH20 FOR 1/2 HR TO APPROX XH50. THEN WE RETURNED TO 5G8 WITH A POOR FIRST LNDG. SO WE WENT BACK UP TO SHOOT OUR LAST LNDG. ON DOWNWIND LEG AT 2000 FT AT 90 KTS WE TURNED BASE WITH A 500 FPM DSCNT RATE AND AT 85-90 KTS. ALTIMETER SHOWING 16-1700 FT (ARPT ELEVATION 1187 FT). I LOOKED AT ARPT TO MAKE SURE PLT CTLED LIGHTING WAS STILL ON. THEN I LOOKED OUT IN FRONT OF AIRPLANE TO SEE TREES. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP ON THE YOKE TO TRY TO MISS THE TOPS OF THE TREES I HEARD A THUMP; THINKING THE MAIN WHEELS BRUSHED OVER THE TREETOPS. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL; ON POSTFLT CHK WE DISCOVERED DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE OF L WING NEAR WINGTIP. PROBABLE CAUSE: 1) PLT FATIGUE. 2) TFC PATTERN ALT SHOULD BE 2200 FT INSTEAD OF 2000 FT. 3) INSTRUCTORS SHOULD NEVER THINK THAT BECAUSE A STUDENT HAS A PVT LICENSE AND INST RATING THAT THE FLT WILL BE UNEVENTFUL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 292018: I WAS ALMOST READY TO START TURNING FINAL WHEN I SAW THE TREES IN THE LNDG LIGHT. I TRIED TO THINK OF WHAT TYPE OF THINGS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. ONE IS THAT I WAS DOING EXTENDED FLYING AFTER PUTTING IN A LONG DAY AT WORK. PAST EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT I AM MUCH MORE ALERT STARTING OUT ON A SAT MORNING THAN I AM AFTER A DAY AT WORK. THE OTHER; WHICH IS RELATED TO THE FIRST; IS THAT I MAY HAVE BECOME A BIT COMPLACENT ABOUT THE 'ROUTINE' APCH PHASE OF LNDG AFTER 8 PREVIOUS ONES. I WAS CONCENTRATING MORE ON AIRSPD AND MY FINAL LNDG THAN I WAS ON MY CURRENT POS AND ALT. BOTH OF THESE ARE MISTAKES THAT I WILL NEVER MAKE AGAIN.