Flight and Weather Diversion
After departing Salt Lake City, the pilot encountered rain showers and diverted east of the planned route. Following the weather diversion, the aircraft flew directly over Burns, Oregon, en route to the final destination of Bend, Oregon.
Difficulty Locating Airport
Upon arriving in the Bend area, the pilot was unable to locate the airport due to low visibility created by smoke from ongoing forest fires. He attempted to contact someone on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) at Bend, but was unsuccessful. He also tried to contact the tower at Redmond, Oregon, but was unable to establish communication.
Decision to Return to Burns
Despite knowing that fuel was running low, the pilot decided to attempt a return to Burns because visibility had been good there when he flew over earlier. As he approached Burns from the west, the aircraft ran out of fuel, forcing the pilot to conduct a power-off landing in an open field.
Landing and Gear Collapse
The initial touchdown was successful, but during the landing roll on rough, rocky terrain, the nose gear and one main gear collapsed.
Preflight Briefing
According to the pilot, during his preflight briefing with the FAA Flight Service Station in Salt Lake City, he had been advised that smoke from the forest fires near Bend was restricting visibility. However, he did not realize that the combination of the afternoon sun and accumulated smoke would make it so difficult to identify features on the ground.