What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot stated that he took off from cobb county airport-mccollum field, atlanta, Georgia (ryy) enroute VFR to fairhope, Alabama (4R4) at 0230 hours. He received a weather report of scattered fog possibly at fairhope. He was in contact with jacksonville approach and continued to fairhope and in the event that the weather would be below minimums he would divert back to where the weather was more favorable. Upon arriving at fairhope he made the decision to divert back to Bay Minette, Alabama (1R8) or a nearby airport. The fog began to get progressively worse and he realized that he was going to have to land and when he reached Bay Minette he was about an hour into his reserve fuel and he made two (2) low approaches. He used VOR 8 approach as guidance and was into the fog at 500 foot MSL. He did not feel he could make another go around considering his fuel situation. The runway lights were not visible due to the fog. Using the reils for visual guidance to the runway he became disoriented and flew past the runway. He stated that when the first tree hit his wing, he pulled all power off and tried to pull the aircraft into a stall on top of the trees.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF FROM COBB COUNTY AIRPORT-MCCOLLUM FIELD, ATLANTA, GEORGIA (RYY) ENROUTE VFR TO FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA (4R4) AT 0230 HOURS. HE RECEIVED A WEATHER REPORT OF SCATTERED FOG POSSIBLY AT FAIRHOPE. HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH JACKSONVILLE APPROACH AND CONTINUED TO FAIRHOPE AND IN THE EVENT THAT THE WEATHER WOULD BE BELOW MINIMUMS HE WOULD DIVERT BACK TO WHERE THE WEATHER WAS MORE FAVORABLE. UPON ARRIVING AT FAIRHOPE HE MADE THE DECISION TO DIVERT BACK TO BAY MINETTE, ALABAMA (1R8) OR A NEARBY AIRPORT. THE FOG BEGAN TO GET PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LAND AND WHEN HE REACHED BAY MINETTE HE WAS ABOUT AN HOUR INTO HIS RESERVE FUEL AND HE MADE TWO (2) LOW APPROACHES. HE USED VOR 8 APPROACH AS GUIDANCE AND WAS INTO THE FOG AT 500 FOOT MSL. HE DID NOT FEEL HE COULD MAKE ANOTHER GO AROUND CONSIDERING HIS FUEL SITUATION. THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE NOT VISIBLE DUE TO THE FOG. USING THE REILS FOR VISUAL GUIDANCE TO THE RUNWAY HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND FLEW PAST THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE FIRST TREE HIT HIS WING, HE PULLED ALL POWER OFF AND TRIED TO PULL THE AIRCRAFT INTO A STALL ON TOP OF THE TREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.