Incident Overview
A private pilot, who held a non-instrument rating and had accumulated 170 flight hours, was en route to his destination. While in flight, the pilot encountered adverse weather conditions and decided to perform a precautionary landing in an open field.
Sequence of Events
During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a barbed-wire fence. The impact caused the aircraft to nose over and come to rest in an inverted position. The pilot had not obtained a standard weather briefing before departure, though he did retrieve some weather information via the internet from DUATS (Direct User Access Terminal System).
Pilot Background
The pilot was a private pilot without an instrument rating, limiting his ability to operate in instrument meteorological conditions. His total flight experience was 170 hours at the time of the occurrence.
Weather Information
The pilot's preflight planning included accessing weather data through DUATS, but he did not contact a flight service specialist for a thorough briefing. The adverse weather encountered en route was the catalyst for the precautionary landing attempt.
Landing and Accident
The open field chosen for the precautionary landing was suitable for the maneuver; however, the presence of the barbed-wire fence was not anticipated. The collision during the landing roll led to the nose-over and inversion of the aircraft. The final resting position was inverted.
Aftermath
The aircraft sustained damage consistent with the nose-over and fence strike. No further details about the pilot's condition or the extent of damage were provided in the source.
Conclusion
The event highlights the challenges faced by non-instrument rated pilots when encountering unexpected weather. The decision to perform a precautionary landing was made, but the outcome was complicated by the fence obstacle.