Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 18; Flight Crew Total 511; Flight Crew Type 5
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Object; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Airport
I was conducting stop-and-go practice at night at White Plains (KHPN) airport for the purpose of gaining night currency. Winds were 290; approximately 10G20. ATIS mentioned landing runways as Runway 34 and Runway 29. I chose runway 29 as it was more aligned with the wind. I took off Runway 29 and flew a left traffic pattern. I was cleared to land on Runway 29. On final; I found myself lower than needed and I clipped the top of a tree. I subsequently conducted an immediate go-around; [advised the] Tower; and landed the airplane normally on Runway 34. I was alone in the airplane. There was no bodily harm of anyone; nor was there property damaged on the ground. The airplane was damaged. The likely cause of the problem in my opinion is that it is extremely difficult to conduct a normal approach to Runway 29 at night; as there is no VASI light; and the threshold is displaced by a very large distance in order to account for tall trees that border the airfield. Before taking off; I looked for an approach to Runway 29 in order to get an approach profile as a backup; but found there was no such approach (very likely due to the nonstandard configuration of obstacles close to the runway end.) In my opinion; Runway 29 should be closed at night for landing.
A general aviation pilot reported clipping a tree on final approach to HPN Runway 29. Darkness and the lack of a VASI were reported as contributing factors.