Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 14500; Flight Crew Type 55
Distraction; Troubleshooting; Other / Unknown
Inflight Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Environment - Non Weather Related
VFR pattern work at CPK; just turned left crosswind. Minor updraft with turbulence; loud bang and pitch down moment. Regained control of aircraft; returned to ZZZ1 (home base). Upon post flight; noticed a 4 inch dent on leading edge of right horizontal stabilizer approximately 9 inches from root.  Scratch marks evident inside concavity and adjacent (medial) to dented concavity. No red discoloration noted; no organic tissue noted anywhere on aircraft. 100% certain an impact occurred in the pattern at Chesapeake; do not believe it was a bird strike.
Cessna pilot reported aircraft was struck by an object during initial climb causing a dent in aircraft.