Flight Plan and Approach
A pilot reported canceling his IFR flight plan from St. Louis, Missouri, to Gary, Indiana. He then proceeded to Michigan City, Indiana, using flight following services. The pilot landed at Michigan City at 0330 local time, noting the presence of light ground fog, which he described as "no problem."
Departure and Accident
During the subsequent departure from runway 02, the pilot reported that the fog suddenly obscured the runway. In response, he cut the power and the aircraft came to rest in a field adjacent to the runway.
Weather Conditions
The nearest weather observations available at the time were from Benton Harbor, Michigan (31 nautical miles northeast) and South Bend, Indiana (22 nautical miles east). At 0253 EDT, Benton Harbor reported a temperature of 57°F with a dew point of 57°F. At 0254 EDT, South Bend reported a temperature of 62°F with a dew point of 62°F.