Narrative:

While on a flight from newnan, GA, to ocala, fl, I realized from WX advisories that the flight may have to divert or land and wait for better flying conditions. Approximately 15-20 NM north of valdosta, the sound of something striking the left wingtip was heard. This was after a descent was made to maintain VFR conditions. According to my position and indicated altitude there should have been no obstructions in the area. Nonetheless, I made a course to the nearest controled field that had services. The aircraft was fully ctlable but my training and feelings told me to land as soon as possible. I attempted to contact valdosta control tower on 2 separate occasions, but was not able to break squelch (possibly a stuck microphone), so I circled the airport at 1500 ft above pattern altitude. My altitude was 3000 ft as I began to reduce power and lose altitude on the crosswind leg. I continued to lose altitude on downwind leg and I followed procedure for no microphone in a controled field. I was abeam the tower when I rocked my wings for recognition. No light signal was issued and there was no traffic so I landed the aircraft. The fiberglass wingtip was slightly damaged. I asked the fire and rescue gentleman to open the gate and let me inform the tower of my problems. He said that the tower was closed so I thought I landed at an uncontrolled field. I have since tried to clear this up with the tower personnel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA28, WARRIOR DSNDED BELOW WX IN ORDER TO STAY VFR AND HEARD SOMETHING STRIKE THE L WING OF THE ACFT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FIBERGLASS WINGTIP. HE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED AT A NEARBY CTLED ARPT WITHOUT LNDG CLRNC DUE TO RADIO MIKE PROB.

Narrative: WHILE ON A FLT FROM NEWNAN, GA, TO OCALA, FL, I REALIZED FROM WX ADVISORIES THAT THE FLT MAY HAVE TO DIVERT OR LAND AND WAIT FOR BETTER FLYING CONDITIONS. APPROX 15-20 NM N OF VALDOSTA, THE SOUND OF SOMETHING STRIKING THE L WINGTIP WAS HEARD. THIS WAS AFTER A DSCNT WAS MADE TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. ACCORDING TO MY POS AND INDICATED ALT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE AREA. NONETHELESS, I MADE A COURSE TO THE NEAREST CTLED FIELD THAT HAD SVCS. THE ACFT WAS FULLY CTLABLE BUT MY TRAINING AND FEELINGS TOLD ME TO LAND ASAP. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT VALDOSTA CTL TWR ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO BREAK SQUELCH (POSSIBLY A STUCK MIKE), SO I CIRCLED THE ARPT AT 1500 FT ABOVE PATTERN ALT. MY ALT WAS 3000 FT AS I BEGAN TO REDUCE PWR AND LOSE ALT ON THE XWIND LEG. I CONTINUED TO LOSE ALT ON DOWNWIND LEG AND I FOLLOWED PROC FOR NO MIKE IN A CTLED FIELD. I WAS ABEAM THE TWR WHEN I ROCKED MY WINGS FOR RECOGNITION. NO LIGHT SIGNAL WAS ISSUED AND THERE WAS NO TFC SO I LANDED THE ACFT. THE FIBERGLASS WINGTIP WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED. I ASKED THE FIRE AND RESCUE GENTLEMAN TO OPEN THE GATE AND LET ME INFORM THE TWR OF MY PROBS. HE SAID THAT THE TWR WAS CLOSED SO I THOUGHT I LANDED AT AN UNCTLED FIELD. I HAVE SINCE TRIED TO CLR THIS UP WITH THE TWR PERSONNEL.

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.