Incident Overview
A pilot reported that while en route, he noticed his passenger was becoming ill. He reached for the sick bags but was unable to reach them due to his seat belt. Consequently, he decided to perform a precautionary landing on a dirt road.
Landing and Impact
During the landing flare, a wind gust "pushed the right wing up," causing the airplane to drift to the left. The left wing then struck a tree, rotating the airplane counterclockwise before it impacted the ground.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Wind Conditions
The pilot reported that the wind was from an unknown direction at 8 to 14 knots, gusting to 14 to 16 knots. An automated weather observation station located about 12 miles from the accident site reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was variable at 3 knots. The pilot was landing to the south.