Small aircraft diverts due minimums, encounters headwinds, off airport lndgs.

Attributes
ACN	261908
Time
Date	199401
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 6r9
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	261908
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying VFR from santa flight engineer, NM. - Stopped in clovis, new mexico and refueled and rebriefed on the WX which was to be marginal VFR in austin tx. By xx:00 Z (1500 and 3 up and down). Continued towards austin VFR over a solid overcast by big springs texas. Filed in the air with san angelo approach to austin and was cleared victor 76 to austin. When approaching austin, I continued to get additional reports from WX watch - WX continued to go down but was still above minimums. By the time I got to austin, the WX was about 300/3500. Shot 3 ILS approachs and never saw the runway environment. Requested return to san angelo some 160 mi west - en route to sjt I encountered stiff wind (head) and realized I probably wouldn't make sjt. Notified houston I was low fuel and told them I would do the VOR approach to llaw. Shot the approach - broke out, but didn't have visual on the field. Fearing fuel exhaustion and in the low- visibility environment, I landed with power in a rancher's field. In retrospect, I should have returned to sjt (1400-20) when I realized the WX was approaching minimums in austin. Also, I should have departed austin after the 1ST approach proved ineffective.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DIVERTS DUE MINIMUMS, ENCOUNTERS HEADWINDS, OFF ARPT LNDGS.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING VFR FROM SANTA FE, NM. - STOPPED IN CLOVIS, NEW MEXICO AND REFUELED AND REBRIEFED ON THE WX WHICH WAS TO BE MARGINAL VFR IN AUSTIN TX. BY XX:00 Z (1500 AND 3 UP AND DOWN). CONTINUED TOWARDS AUSTIN VFR OVER A SOLID OVCST BY BIG SPRINGS TEXAS. FILED IN THE AIR WITH SAN ANGELO APCH TO AUSTIN AND WAS CLRED VICTOR 76 TO AUSTIN. WHEN APCHING AUSTIN, I CONTINUED TO GET ADDITIONAL RPTS FROM WX WATCH - WX CONTINUED TO GO DOWN BUT WAS STILL ABOVE MINIMUMS. BY THE TIME I GOT TO AUSTIN, THE WX WAS ABOUT 300/3500. SHOT 3 ILS APCHS AND NEVER SAW THE RWY ENVIRONMENT. REQUESTED RETURN TO SAN ANGELO SOME 160 MI W - ENRTE TO SJT I ENCOUNTERED STIFF WIND (HEAD) AND REALIZED I PROBABLY WOULDN'T MAKE SJT. NOTIFIED HOUSTON I WAS LOW FUEL AND TOLD THEM I WOULD DO THE VOR APCH TO LLAW. SHOT THE APCH - BROKE OUT, BUT DIDN'T HAVE VISUAL ON THE FIELD. FEARING FUEL EXHAUSTION AND IN THE LOW- VISIBILITY ENVIRONMENT, I LANDED WITH PWR IN A RANCHER'S FIELD. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE RETURNED TO SJT (1400-20) WHEN I REALIZED THE WX WAS APCHING MINIMUMS IN AUSTIN. ALSO, I SHOULD HAVE DEPARTED AUSTIN AFTER THE 1ST APCH PROVED INEFFECTIVE.

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.