Incident Overview
A solo pilot on a round-robin cross-country flight from St. Louis to Potosi and Bonne Terre, with a return leg to St. Louis, experienced motion sickness during the return trip. The pilot diverted to the nearest airport, Festus, for a precautionary landing.
Landing Details
The airplane touched down approximately 250 feet short of the runway, about 40 feet below the crest of the hill where the runway is located. The pilot reported that he had taken an over-the-counter motion-sickness tablet containing 50 mg of dimenhydrinate prior to departing from St. Louis, with an elapsed flight time of about 2.1 hours.
Medication Warning
The medication's label stated that it could cause marked drowsiness and included a caution against driving or operating machinery. No further information regarding the outcome of the landing or any injuries was provided in the source.