Pilot sightseeing at low altitude flew into the trees.

Attributes
ACN	282827
Time
Date	199409
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aum
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 30 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 432 flight time type : 390
ASRS Report	282827
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On sep/xx/94, I preflted my C-150 and took off from a private grass air strip. I then climbed to 500 ft AGL. I flew around observing the ripening of the crops and came upon the small town of johnsburg, mn, where a softball game was taking place. Some of the players were friends of mine, so I reduced power to get closer to see if I could pick them out. I became too focused on the players and failed to realize how low and close to the field I was. I suddenly realized there was a row of trees ahead of me. I went to full power and tried to climb as fast as I could, but due to low airspeed, I struck 1 of the trees with my right wing. I then leveled the plane in order to build airspeed and determined that the airplane was able to keep flying safely. I proceeded directly back to the airstrip. During prelndg procedures, I realized I had reduced elevator control. I determined there was enough movement to land safely and did so uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT SIGHTSEEING AT LOW ALT FLEW INTO THE TREES.

Narrative: ON SEP/XX/94, I PREFLTED MY C-150 AND TOOK OFF FROM A PVT GRASS AIR STRIP. I THEN CLBED TO 500 FT AGL. I FLEW AROUND OBSERVING THE RIPENING OF THE CROPS AND CAME UPON THE SMALL TOWN OF JOHNSBURG, MN, WHERE A SOFTBALL GAME WAS TAKING PLACE. SOME OF THE PLAYERS WERE FRIENDS OF MINE, SO I REDUCED PWR TO GET CLOSER TO SEE IF I COULD PICK THEM OUT. I BECAME TOO FOCUSED ON THE PLAYERS AND FAILED TO REALIZE HOW LOW AND CLOSE TO THE FIELD I WAS. I SUDDENLY REALIZED THERE WAS A ROW OF TREES AHEAD OF ME. I WENT TO FULL PWR AND TRIED TO CLB AS FAST AS I COULD, BUT DUE TO LOW AIRSPD, I STRUCK 1 OF THE TREES WITH MY R WING. I THEN LEVELED THE PLANE IN ORDER TO BUILD AIRSPD AND DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ABLE TO KEEP FLYING SAFELY. I PROCEEDED DIRECTLY BACK TO THE AIRSTRIP. DURING PRELNDG PROCS, I REALIZED I HAD REDUCED ELEVATOR CTL. I DETERMINED THERE WAS ENOUGH MOVEMENT TO LAND SAFELY AND DID SO UNEVENTFULLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.