Background
The pilot was approaching his destination airport when the weather began to deteriorate. Approximately 20 miles from the destination, a previously scattered cloud layer became solid, obscuring the view of the sky.
Approach
About 7 miles from the destination, the pilot observed lightning several miles to the southeast. Believing the storm was well south of his position, the pilot continued toward the airport. Shortly thereafter, the pilot stated, "...not many seconds later, I was in the storm with torrential rain, lightning within 3 miles, and heavy turbulence...."
Precautionary Landing
Faced with the severe weather, the pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing in a field with slightly uphill terrain. While on approach from the south, the pilot reduced engine power, causing the airplane to develop a high sink rate. The pilot added power, but the airplane landed hard and sustained substantial damage.
Aftermath
After the accident, the pilot noted that the winds were strong and probably from the north, and mentioned the possibility of downdrafts and wind shear. A weather observation taken at an airport about 30 miles east-southeast of the accident site around the time of the accident included the remark: "LTG DSNT SW AND W."