Accident Details
A pilot departed after discussing the weather with a friend located 65 miles south of the intended destination. The friend reported clear weather to the north. The pilot followed a highway but poor weather prevented landing at the original destination, prompting a turnaround and landing at a privately-owned airport without service facilities. Shortly thereafter, the pilot took off again heading north.
A New Mexico State trooper on patrol observed a single-engine, high-wing, white airplane pass overhead at an altitude of "not more than 20 feet off the ground." As the pilot neared the destination, weather deteriorated. With insufficient fuel to divert, the pilot elected to "fly to area of VFR minimums." Subsequently, the "weather in front of us was below class G minimums," leading the pilot to attempt a precautionary landing on a snow-covered road.
The road ended in a "T" configuration, and the airplane slid off the end. The left wing and propeller struck the ground; the right wing struck a tree.
Post-Accident Inspection
Examination revealed the right wing sustained leading edge compression damage outboard of the root. The left wing leading edge was crushed near the wing tip fairing. Both propeller blades were bent.
Pilot Comments
The pilot stated, "I should have picked a spot to do a precautionary landing sooner before the weather got bad. Second, I should have called flight service to get a weather briefing, not a friend."