After losing sight of the airport in fog and fearing he might not have enough fuel to fly to an alte...

Attributes
ACN	263007
Time
Date	199402
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 34a
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 70
ASRS Report	263007
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As I was flying toward laurens county airport the ceiling was lowering. I thought that the airport would be clear as the roads and area were still 1500 ft and about 5 mi visibility. The WX forecast was good (I thought). I approached the airport and saw the numbers and as I turned to make an approach the runway became fogged in, I tried for 15 mins to get in and couldn't. The nearest alternate was a 30 mi flight and I thought my fuel would be low. To keep from running out, I landed on the road 3 mi east of the runway and waited for the fog to clear. I then added fuel and took off and landed at the laurens county, sc, airport. There were no injuries or damage to anything. I did not run out of fuel. I did fly into WX that deteriorated and did not turn back soon enough, my experience is limited and I believe that contributed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER LOSING SIGHT OF THE ARPT IN FOG AND FEARING HE MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO FLY TO AN ALTERNATE, RPTR ELECTS TO LAND HIS SMA ON A ROAD.

Narrative: AS I WAS FLYING TOWARD LAURENS COUNTY ARPT THE CEILING WAS LOWERING. I THOUGHT THAT THE ARPT WOULD BE CLR AS THE ROADS AND AREA WERE STILL 1500 FT AND ABOUT 5 MI VISIBILITY. THE WX FORECAST WAS GOOD (I THOUGHT). I APCHED THE ARPT AND SAW THE NUMBERS AND AS I TURNED TO MAKE AN APCH THE RWY BECAME FOGGED IN, I TRIED FOR 15 MINS TO GET IN AND COULDN'T. THE NEAREST ALTERNATE WAS A 30 MI FLT AND I THOUGHT MY FUEL WOULD BE LOW. TO KEEP FROM RUNNING OUT, I LANDED ON THE ROAD 3 MI E OF THE RWY AND WAITED FOR THE FOG TO CLR. I THEN ADDED FUEL AND TOOK OFF AND LANDED AT THE LAURENS COUNTY, SC, ARPT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO ANYTHING. I DID NOT RUN OUT OF FUEL. I DID FLY INTO WX THAT DETERIORATED AND DID NOT TURN BACK SOON ENOUGH, MY EXPERIENCE IS LIMITED AND I BELIEVE THAT CONTRIBUTED.

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.

After losing sight of the airport in fog and fearing he might not have enough fuel to fly to an alternate, reporter elects to land his small aircraft on a road.