FTW04LA026

While in cruise flight during a day VFR cross-country, the pilot became disoriented and executed a precautionary landing to an open field. According to the pilot, he received a weather briefing from FSS prior to his 3 hour and 50 minute cross-country flight. The FSS briefer informed the pilot he would experience a headwind during the entire route of flight. While attempting to navigate via VORs, the pilot became lost, and the airplane was low on fuel. Unable to locate an airport, the pilot executed a precautionary landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch and a fence.

On November 21, 2003, approximately 1530 central standard time, a Cessna 172N single-engine airplane, N739YK, sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing to a field near La Grange, Texas. The commercial pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated by Voyager Air Center, of Denison, Texas, and registered to a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight departed the Grayson County Airport (GYI), near Denison, Texas, approximately 1130, and was destined for the New Braunfels Municipal Airport (BAZ), New Braunfels, Texas.

Prior to the flight, the 3,200-hour pilot received a weather briefing from the flight service station (FSS). The FSS briefer informed the pilot that the airplane would experience a headwind of approximately 35-40 knots for the duration of the flight. According to the flight plan filed by the pilot, the planned route of flight was GYI to Lampasas (LZZ) to BAZ with an estimated time enroute of 3 hours and 50 minutes.

While in cruise flight, the pilot attempted to navigate via VHF Omni-directional Ranges (VORs); however, he became disoriented. The airplane began to get low on fuel, and the pilot was unsuccessful in locating a small airport to obtain fuel. Due to the low fuel indication on the cockpit gauges, the pilot elected to execute a precautionary landing to an open field. During the landing, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch and a fence, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained damage to the engine firewall, propeller, nose landing gear, and windshield.

The pilot reported to a Texas Department of Public Safety officer, the airplane was low on fuel. Local law enforcement officials stated the left wing fuel tank was empty, and the right wing fuel tank contained some fuel.