Accident Narrative
The pilot of an airplane that was not equipped with radios or certified for flight into instrument meteorological conditions reported that during the initial climb, he found himself in fog and realized he needed to descend. Using a non-aviation handheld global positioning system, he navigated to two nearby airports, both of which were also obscured by fog. After approximately 30 minutes of flight, the pilot became concerned about the fuel remaining, as he had taken off with only half-full fuel tanks.
Landing and Overrun
The pilot navigated back to the departure airport, where he observed the grass runway through a break in the fog. He performed a slip to descend through the hole, but touched down about three-quarters of the way down the wet grass runway. In an effort to stop within the remaining runway distance, he attempted to ground loop the airplane. However, the airplane continued straight, overran the runway, and struck a ditch and vegetation. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage.
Pilot Statements
The pilot reported that he did not obtain a weather briefing prior to the flight. During preflight, he noted "a little fog sneaking up over a nearby hill." He also stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Weather Conditions
The departure airport was not equipped with an automated weather observing station (AWOS). However, an airport with an AWOS located 10 nautical miles to the southwest reported, at the time of departure, visibility of ¼ statute mile with fog, a ceiling of 100 feet overcast, and a temperature and dew point of 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). According to the Federal Aviation Administration's Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, when air temperature reaches the dew point, the air becomes saturated and moisture condenses into fog, dew, frost, clouds, rain, or snow.