What happened
A cross-country flight was underway with one fuel stop completed and a second fuel stop planned. During the flight, the pilot deviated from the intended route to avoid mountainous terrain. While the original flight plan followed an interstate highway, the pilot inadvertently began following the incorrect interstate highway.
After traveling 70 miles off course, the pilot realized the aircraft was not approaching the next scheduled fuel stop. Due to low fuel, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing at a dirt airstrip. During the landing roll, the right wing of the aircraft struck a barbed wire fence located approximately three-quarters of the way down the strip. The pilot noted that by the time the fence was identified, it was too late to attempt a go-around, and the loose nature of the dirt surface prevented the aircraft from stopping before impact.
Findings
- The pilot deviated from the planned route due to terrain.
- The pilot followed the wrong interstate highway after believing they had rejoined the original route.