Narrative:

Pipeline patrol flight from houston north thru lufkin, longview to tyler, tx. Possible thunderstorms were forecast in the northern texas area. I checked WX before leaving houston and received the WX. I also called lufkin FSS on the radio for the longview tyler WX. The report was of marginal VFR at tyler-longview and lufkin, but about 20 mi southwest of lufkin, I encountered a low cloud deck and turned back to livingston airport. I called montgomery county FSS for a WX report that indicated that I should be able to continue on to tyler. When passing about 12 mi west of lufkin, I attempted to contact lufkin FSS with no response. Continuing north, I was able to receive ATIS of tyler with VFR WX and longview with 800 overcast and 4 mi visibility. 800 overcast and 4 mi visibility is adequate for my low-level pipeline patrol. Therefore, I continued. I did not encounter any adverse WX until a light rain west of henderson. While monitoring ATIS of both tyler and longview, I continued north until I encountered heavy rain and reduced visibility. I conducted a 180 degree turn at that time and attempted to land at henderson airport. I was able to get to within 2 mi of the airport, but it was obscured by heavy rain in a building and fast-moving thunderstorm. I then began to circle to the east ahead of the storm to an area over highway 322 and highway 850, about 8 mi south of the greg county airport. At this time, ATIS reported 300/1. This was not an instrument flight, therefore, I did not have current instrument charts with me. Thus, my only option at this time with rapidly deteriorating WX, was a precautionary landing on the only available landing site -- highway 850 and highway 322. Following the landing on highway 850 and during the taxi to clear the road, a highway sign was hit, resulting in leading edge damage to the left wing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPELINE PATROL PLT LANDS ON ROAD DUE TO ADVERSE WX, HITS ROAD SIGN WITH WINGTIP WHILE TAXIING CLEAR OF HIGHWAY.

Narrative: PIPELINE PATROL FLT FROM HOUSTON NORTH THRU LUFKIN, LONGVIEW TO TYLER, TX. POSSIBLE TSTMS WERE FORECAST IN THE NORTHERN TEXAS AREA. I CHECKED WX BEFORE LEAVING HOUSTON AND RECEIVED THE WX. I ALSO CALLED LUFKIN FSS ON THE RADIO FOR THE LONGVIEW TYLER WX. THE REPORT WAS OF MARGINAL VFR AT TYLER-LONGVIEW AND LUFKIN, BUT ABOUT 20 MI SW OF LUFKIN, I ENCOUNTERED A LOW CLOUD DECK AND TURNED BACK TO LIVINGSTON ARPT. I CALLED MONTGOMERY COUNTY FSS FOR A WX REPORT THAT INDICATED THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE ON TO TYLER. WHEN PASSING ABOUT 12 MI W OF LUFKIN, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT LUFKIN FSS WITH NO RESPONSE. CONTINUING NORTH, I WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE ATIS OF TYLER WITH VFR WX AND LONGVIEW WITH 800 OVERCAST AND 4 MI VISIBILITY. 800 OVERCAST AND 4 MI VISIBILITY IS ADEQUATE FOR MY LOW-LEVEL PIPELINE PATROL. THEREFORE, I CONTINUED. I DID NOT ENCOUNTER ANY ADVERSE WX UNTIL A LIGHT RAIN W OF HENDERSON. WHILE MONITORING ATIS OF BOTH TYLER AND LONGVIEW, I CONTINUED N UNTIL I ENCOUNTERED HEAVY RAIN AND REDUCED VISIBILITY. I CONDUCTED A 180 DEG TURN AT THAT TIME AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT HENDERSON ARPT. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO WITHIN 2 MI OF THE ARPT, BUT IT WAS OBSCURED BY HEAVY RAIN IN A BUILDING AND FAST-MOVING TSTM. I THEN BEGAN TO CIRCLE TO THE E AHEAD OF THE STORM TO AN AREA OVER HWY 322 AND HWY 850, ABOUT 8 MI S OF THE GREG COUNTY ARPT. AT THIS TIME, ATIS REPORTED 300/1. THIS WAS NOT AN INSTRUMENT FLT, THEREFORE, I DID NOT HAVE CURRENT INSTRUMENT CHARTS WITH ME. THUS, MY ONLY OPTION AT THIS TIME WITH RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX, WAS A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ON THE ONLY AVAILABLE LNDG SITE -- HWY 850 AND HWY 322. FOLLOWING THE LNDG ON HWY 850 AND DURING THE TAXI TO CLEAR THE ROAD, A HWY SIGN WAS HIT, RESULTING IN LEADING EDGE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING.

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.