What happened
The pilot had previously landed at Tarkio, Missouri, but was unable to reach his fishing partner. He then flew his aircraft to St. Joseph Rosecrans Airport. After contacting his friend and resting for several hours, the pilot departed early in the morning for Tarkio, which is located northwest of St. Joseph.
During the flight, fog began to form, making it impossible to identify the Tarkio airport. After two unsuccessful attempts to locate the airfield, the pilot altered his course to land at another airport he had spotted earlier. However, he reported that fog had now obscured this second location as well. He turned and headed southwest.
As a last resort, the pilot planned to attempt a landing on an interstate highway near Mound City. He reported exhausting his fuel supply before reaching the highway. Consequently, a forced landing was executed in a field northwest of Mound City, Missouri. The pilot stated that he had known the potential for deteriorating weather but pressed on because he believed his destination was only 20 minutes away.
The investigation
The investigation examined the circumstances surrounding the flight and the condition of the aircraft after the forced landing. No mechanical failures were identified as contributing factors to the incident.