Narrative:

During a VFR flight from S22 to sff, decreased visibility was encountered in the flight path. PIC elected to execute 180 degree turn to attempt to return to point of departure. WX behind had deteriorated substantially. Center was contacted and asked for vectors to nearest airport (ritzville 33S). Distance was given as 20 mi. Approximately 5 mi from ritzville, the lights of the city were seen. Approximately 2 mi from airport, the ground became obscured by fog. Highway 395 sbound could be seen. Also, aircraft was turned toward lind airport (0s0). The highway and surrounding area became obscured within approximately 1 min. A climb to 3000 MSL was executed to remain VFR above forming layer. Center asked if pilot and/or aircraft was IFR certified. The pilot answered negative. Center then asked if VFR flight could be maintained to moses lake (mwh). It did not appear that VFR could be maintained in any direction. A stubble field of fairly flat terrain was spotted, and center was notified that a landing was going to be executed. The aircraft was landed in the field. During the rollout, the right main gear and nose gear ran into chiselled furrows. The aircraft came to a stop and rocked up toward the nose. The right wingtip and 1 blade of the propeller struck the ground. The airplane then came back down on all 3 wheels. All people on board were uninjured and exited the aircraft. A WX briefing was obtained both en route hermiston and leaving hermiston. A VFR plan was filed with walla walla flight service when the briefing was obtained at approximately XA15 local time. There was no forecast fog, marginal VFR or severely decreased visibility forecast.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIVATE PLT OF SMA ACFT WAS FORCED TO LAND OFF ARPT DUE TO DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: DURING A VFR FLT FROM S22 TO SFF, DECREASED VISIBILITY WAS ENCOUNTERED IN THE FLT PATH. PIC ELECTED TO EXECUTE 180 DEG TURN TO ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO POINT OF DEP. WX BEHIND HAD DETERIORATED SUBSTANTIALLY. CTR WAS CONTACTED AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT (RITZVILLE 33S). DISTANCE WAS GIVEN AS 20 MI. APPROX 5 MI FROM RITZVILLE, THE LIGHTS OF THE CITY WERE SEEN. APPROX 2 MI FROM ARPT, THE GND BECAME OBSCURED BY FOG. HWY 395 SBOUND COULD BE SEEN. ALSO, ACFT WAS TURNED TOWARD LIND ARPT (0S0). THE HWY AND SURROUNDING AREA BECAME OBSCURED WITHIN APPROX 1 MIN. A CLB TO 3000 MSL WAS EXECUTED TO REMAIN VFR ABOVE FORMING LAYER. CTR ASKED IF PLT AND/OR ACFT WAS IFR CERTIFIED. THE PLT ANSWERED NEGATIVE. CTR THEN ASKED IF VFR FLT COULD BE MAINTAINED TO MOSES LAKE (MWH). IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT VFR COULD BE MAINTAINED IN ANY DIRECTION. A STUBBLE FIELD OF FAIRLY FLAT TERRAIN WAS SPOTTED, AND CTR WAS NOTIFIED THAT A LNDG WAS GOING TO BE EXECUTED. THE ACFT WAS LANDED IN THE FIELD. DURING THE ROLLOUT, THE R MAIN GEAR AND NOSE GEAR RAN INTO CHISELLED FURROWS. THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP AND ROCKED UP TOWARD THE NOSE. THE R WINGTIP AND 1 BLADE OF THE PROP STRUCK THE GND. THE AIRPLANE THEN CAME BACK DOWN ON ALL 3 WHEELS. ALL PEOPLE ON BOARD WERE UNINJURED AND EXITED THE ACFT. A WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED BOTH ENRTE HERMISTON AND LEAVING HERMISTON. A VFR PLAN WAS FILED WITH WALLA WALLA FLT SVC WHEN THE BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED AT APPROX XA15 LCL TIME. THERE WAS NO FORECAST FOG, MARGINAL VFR OR SEVERELY DECREASED VISIBILITY FORECAST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.