Narrative:

Departure from glf at XA00 local time. Intended destination 23N. Tuned 122.0 for WX update, radio communication receiver did not function. Initial heading 170 degrees magnetic heading via cambridge VOR. Encountered decreasing visibility and ceiling approximately 20 mi north of waterbury. Descended from initial cruise altitude of 4500' MSL to 2000' MSL. Changed heading to east then north. Changed heading to northwest. Determined position via chester VOR. Encountered light snow and decreasing visibility. Conducted visibility search for adequate terrain for off airport landing. First site selected proved inadequate on initial flyby (left wing leading edge, approximately 12' inboard struck tree branch). Executed missed approach. Selected second site for landing. Executed flyby for closer visibility inspection of terrain. Executed normal approach (full flaps) and landing. Engine and electrical systems shut down on final. Secured aircraft. Sought assistance at nearby residence. Called local police. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states not talking to anyone at time due to radio failure on communication side. Felt VOR might not be reliable due to communication failure. Original briefing was in early morning for high ceilings and VFR until 6 pm. Montreal had been original destination but trip was halted at glen falls as snow was expected in montreal area. Reporter was flying south, away from that WX on return portion of trip. In board of left wing tip skin buckled in one area and dented in shape of tree branch next to that. FAA said not to fly plane out. Reporter had mechanic inspect, who said it was ok to fly, but thaw occurred before approval could be gained and then it was not possible to fly out of the muddy field. FAA has talked with reporter's attorney and plans no action. Consider it an incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ENCOUNTERS IMC WHILE VFR. WING TIP STRUCK TREES ON FLY BY TO SEE IF TERRAIN APPROPRIATE FOR OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: DEP FROM GLF AT XA00 LCL TIME. INTENDED DEST 23N. TUNED 122.0 FOR WX UPDATE, RADIO COM RECEIVER DID NOT FUNCTION. INITIAL HDG 170 DEGS MAGNETIC HDG VIA CAMBRIDGE VOR. ENCOUNTERED DECREASING VISIBILITY AND CEILING APPROX 20 MI N OF WATERBURY. DSNDED FROM INITIAL CRUISE ALT OF 4500' MSL TO 2000' MSL. CHANGED HDG TO E THEN N. CHANGED HDG TO NW. DETERMINED POS VIA CHESTER VOR. ENCOUNTERED LIGHT SNOW AND DECREASING VISIBILITY. CONDUCTED VIS SEARCH FOR ADEQUATE TERRAIN FOR OFF ARPT LNDG. FIRST SITE SELECTED PROVED INADEQUATE ON INITIAL FLYBY (LEFT WING LEADING EDGE, APPROX 12' INBOARD STRUCK TREE BRANCH). EXECUTED MISSED APCH. SELECTED SECOND SITE FOR LNDG. EXECUTED FLYBY FOR CLOSER VIS INSPECTION OF TERRAIN. EXECUTED NORMAL APCH (FULL FLAPS) AND LNDG. ENG AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN ON FINAL. SECURED ACFT. SOUGHT ASSISTANCE AT NEARBY RESIDENCE. CALLED LCL POLICE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES NOT TALKING TO ANYONE AT TIME DUE TO RADIO FAILURE ON COM SIDE. FELT VOR MIGHT NOT BE RELIABLE DUE TO COM FAILURE. ORIGINAL BRIEFING WAS IN EARLY MORNING FOR HIGH CEILINGS AND VFR UNTIL 6 PM. MONTREAL HAD BEEN ORIGINAL DEST BUT TRIP WAS HALTED AT GLEN FALLS AS SNOW WAS EXPECTED IN MONTREAL AREA. RPTR WAS FLYING S, AWAY FROM THAT WX ON RETURN PORTION OF TRIP. IN BOARD OF LEFT WING TIP SKIN BUCKLED IN ONE AREA AND DENTED IN SHAPE OF TREE BRANCH NEXT TO THAT. FAA SAID NOT TO FLY PLANE OUT. RPTR HAD MECHANIC INSPECT, WHO SAID IT WAS OK TO FLY, BUT THAW OCCURRED BEFORE APPROVAL COULD BE GAINED AND THEN IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO FLY OUT OF THE MUDDY FIELD. FAA HAS TALKED WITH RPTR'S ATTORNEY AND PLANS NO ACTION. CONSIDER IT AN INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.