Small aircraft encounters fog at cruise, descends and lands on road.

Attributes
ACN	246043
Time
Date	199307
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vuz airport : l02
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	246043
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route from merkel-sylacauga (scd) to marion, co (hab) in the vicinity of cordova, al, fog began to form below. Within mins ground contact was lost. I found a hole and spiraled down to about 500 ft AGL and following highway 78, attempted to locate walker county bevill airport (L02). However, the fog began to worsen and I was reluctant to lose sight of the highway. I had passed a road intersecting highway 78 that had no wires or houses. The visibility was deteriorating, so I made a 180 degree turn back to the road and landed. On rollout, the left wingtip touched a tree with minor damage. I had considered returning back to birmingham, but did not attempt radio contact until I was too low. The fog covered an extensive area and I wasn't sure if birmingham was also affected. Fog wasn't forecast although there was only about a 3 degree difference between temperature and dew point. The entire area had received heavy rains the night before and I believe this contributed to the sudden fog formation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENCOUNTERS FOG AT CRUISE, DSNDS AND LANDS ON ROAD.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM MERKEL-SYLACAUGA (SCD) TO MARION, CO (HAB) IN THE VICINITY OF CORDOVA, AL, FOG BEGAN TO FORM BELOW. WITHIN MINS GND CONTACT WAS LOST. I FOUND A HOLE AND SPIRALED DOWN TO ABOUT 500 FT AGL AND FOLLOWING HWY 78, ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE WALKER COUNTY BEVILL ARPT (L02). HOWEVER, THE FOG BEGAN TO WORSEN AND I WAS RELUCTANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE HWY. I HAD PASSED A ROAD INTERSECTING HWY 78 THAT HAD NO WIRES OR HOUSES. THE VISIBILITY WAS DETERIORATING, SO I MADE A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO THE ROAD AND LANDED. ON ROLLOUT, THE L WINGTIP TOUCHED A TREE WITH MINOR DAMAGE. I HAD CONSIDERED RETURNING BACK TO BIRMINGHAM, BUT DID NOT ATTEMPT RADIO CONTACT UNTIL I WAS TOO LOW. THE FOG COVERED AN EXTENSIVE AREA AND I WASN'T SURE IF BIRMINGHAM WAS ALSO AFFECTED. FOG WASN'T FORECAST ALTHOUGH THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT A 3 DEG DIFFERENCE BTWN TEMP AND DEW POINT. THE ENTIRE AREA HAD RECEIVED HVY RAINS THE NIGHT BEFORE AND I BELIEVE THIS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUDDEN FOG FORMATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.