Narrative:

Noticed on descent, from 10,500 MSL, for landing at my destination 20 mi east, smoke above ground level, coming from numerous burning slash piles in yellowstone park. I was unable to see my destination and should have been able to at that altitude and distance. I started a turn to the south and to avoid penetrating the smoke and remain in VMC conditions. I then noticed some smoke fumes in the cockpit and began to feel a little woozy. My passenger was noticing same and became very concerned as the gas gauges indicated low fuel. According to my time and distance, I was abeam my destination, south 20 mi and according to the fuel I had on board at departure point my fuel remaining should be about 1 plus 30. There were no navaids at destination. As a precautionary safety factor, I called salt lake center and told them my situation above and asked for my position and vectors to my destination. They said I was 23 mi south and suggested a heading of 345 degree to yellowstone. I turned to that heading and was able to see henry's lake airport about 10 mi out. I elected to go there. Prior to landing there I was able to see my original destination from the west. It was clear. I landed ok. Visually checked the fuel in tanks, got some fresh air, called idaho falls flight service as instructed by salt lake center and departed for idaho falls and gassed up. I had called billings flight service the night before my flight. Indicated to them I planned on an am flight and asked for WX and NOTAMS along my route. The briefer indicated severe clear WX with no ceiling and unlimited visibility and no NOTAMS. I suggest that anyone burning large amounts and more than one fire, that would involve a large amount of smoke, continuing for long periods of time, in and around airports and airspace thereof, be asked to report same to FAA, so same could be included in WX briefing in advance. Also that the navaids at yellowstone be left operational until such time as the runway is no longer usable due to snow cover, and at least the NDB year around for navigation. I was unable VOR at my altitude. I could have seen and landed at my destination had it not been for the smoke. I don't think my judgement was impaired or my flying ability.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA GOT LOST IN SMOKE NEAR WYS AND HAD TO GET FLT ASSIST TO FIND ARPT.

Narrative: NOTICED ON DSCNT, FROM 10,500 MSL, FOR LNDG AT MY DEST 20 MI E, SMOKE ABOVE GND LEVEL, COMING FROM NUMEROUS BURNING SLASH PILES IN YELLOWSTONE PARK. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE MY DEST AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AT THAT ALT AND DISTANCE. I STARTED A TURN TO THE S AND TO AVOID PENETRATING THE SMOKE AND REMAIN IN VMC CONDITIONS. I THEN NOTICED SOME SMOKE FUMES IN THE COCKPIT AND BEGAN TO FEEL A LITTLE WOOZY. MY PAX WAS NOTICING SAME AND BECAME VERY CONCERNED AS THE GAS GAUGES INDICATED LOW FUEL. ACCORDING TO MY TIME AND DISTANCE, I WAS ABEAM MY DEST, S 20 MI AND ACCORDING TO THE FUEL I HAD ON BOARD AT DEP POINT MY FUEL REMAINING SHOULD BE ABOUT 1 PLUS 30. THERE WERE NO NAVAIDS AT DEST. AS A PRECAUTIONARY SAFETY FACTOR, I CALLED SALT LAKE CENTER AND TOLD THEM MY SITUATION ABOVE AND ASKED FOR MY POSITION AND VECTORS TO MY DEST. THEY SAID I WAS 23 MI S AND SUGGESTED A HDG OF 345 DEG TO YELLOWSTONE. I TURNED TO THAT HDG AND WAS ABLE TO SEE HENRY'S LAKE ARPT ABOUT 10 MI OUT. I ELECTED TO GO THERE. PRIOR TO LNDG THERE I WAS ABLE TO SEE MY ORIGINAL DEST FROM THE WEST. IT WAS CLEAR. I LANDED OK. VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL IN TANKS, GOT SOME FRESH AIR, CALLED IDAHO FALLS FLT SERVICE AS INSTRUCTED BY SALT LAKE CENTER AND DEPARTED FOR IDAHO FALLS AND GASSED UP. I HAD CALLED BILLINGS FLT SERVICE THE NIGHT BEFORE MY FLT. INDICATED TO THEM I PLANNED ON AN AM FLT AND ASKED FOR WX AND NOTAMS ALONG MY ROUTE. THE BRIEFER INDICATED SEVERE CLEAR WX WITH NO CEILING AND UNLIMITED VISIBILITY AND NO NOTAMS. I SUGGEST THAT ANYONE BURNING LARGE AMOUNTS AND MORE THAN ONE FIRE, THAT WOULD INVOLVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE, CONTINUING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, IN AND AROUND ARPTS AND AIRSPACE THEREOF, BE ASKED TO REPORT SAME TO FAA, SO SAME COULD BE INCLUDED IN WX BRIEFING IN ADVANCE. ALSO THAT THE NAVAIDS AT YELLOWSTONE BE LEFT OPERATIONAL UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE RWY IS NO LONGER USABLE DUE TO SNOW COVER, AND AT LEAST THE NDB YEAR AROUND FOR NAV. I WAS UNABLE VOR AT MY ALT. I COULD HAVE SEEN AND LANDED AT MY DEST HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE SMOKE. I DON'T THINK MY JUDGEMENT WAS IMPAIRED OR MY FLYING ABILITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.