What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The noninstrument-rated private pilot made a precautionary landing in a field after encountering unforecast low ceilings during a cross-country flight. The preflight weather briefing indicated there were no precautions or advisories applicable to the proposed route of flight. According to the pilot, after 15 minutes of cruise flight, he 'realized' that he was on top of an overcast cloud layer. He 'made a u-turn,' and 'after working [his] way back down,' found the ceiling was about 700 feet AGL. He elected to divert to the nearest airport, but was unable to locate the airport and landed in a pasture. The airplane collided with a ditch during the landing roll. (-23) the private pilot encountered weather that was deteriorating and becoming worse than he had anticipated from the briefing that he had received earlier. He elected to turn around and find a place to land. After descending through an opening to below the clouds he was only able to maintain 800 to 1000 ft AGL and was unsuccessful in finding the wells airport at Columbus, TX. He spotted an open pasture and elected to land there. After landing t he aircraft struck a cross fence and the main gear went into a ditch causing substantial damage to both wings. The pilot was not injured and there were no passengers.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PRIVATE PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD AFTER ENCOUNTERING UNFORECAST LOW CEILINGS DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING INDICATED THERE WERE NO PRECAUTIONS OR ADVISORIES APPLICABLE TO THE PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER 15 MINUTES OF CRUISE FLIGHT, HE 'REALIZED' THAT HE WAS ON TOP OF AN OVERCAST CLOUD LAYER. HE 'MADE A U-TURN,' AND 'AFTER WORKING [HIS] WAY BACK DOWN,' FOUND THE CEILING WAS ABOUT 700 FEET AGL. HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE AIRPORT AND LANDED IN A PASTURE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A DITCH DURING THE LANDING ROLL. (-23) THE PRIVATE PILOT ENCOUNTERED WEATHER THAT WAS DETERIORATING AND BECOMING WORSE THAN HE HAD ANTICIPATED FROM THE BRIEFING THAT HE HAD RECEIVED EARLIER. HE ELECTED TO TURN AROUND AND FIND A PLACE TO LAND. AFTER DESCENDING THROUGH AN OPENING TO BELOW THE CLOUDS HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO MAINTAIN 800 TO 1000 FT AGL AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN FINDING THE WELLS AIRPORT AT COLUMBUS, TX. HE SPOTTED AN OPEN PASTURE AND ELECTED TO LAND THERE. AFTER LANDING T HE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A CROSS FENCE AND THE MAIN GEAR WENT INTO A DITCH CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.