Narrative:

Watched WX all morning before XA15 departure, local rain showers only (within 30 mi), a few passed through in the morning. Departed to columbia, sc, from ocean isle, nc, in 3500 ft, 5 mi with a broken ceiling, no rain. Flew through several very light rain areas at 1500 ft with 3 mi then about 35 mi out ceiling began to drop and rain increased and ground fog appeared. Turned around to return to departure airport and flew about 1000 ft in 3 mi across light rain, then ran into 500 ft ceiling with 1-2 mi and more scattered ground fog in all directions. 9 yr old daughter passenger (with lots of flying experience) became upset and said 'daddy, I don't like this.' I had a gyroscope and ball in the aircraft as partial panel and knew I could fly 10 mi north and get out of WX but elected to do a precautionary landing in the area where we were VFR because of daughter and very unpredictable, unusual localized WX phenomena. I then landed on the 9TH hole of colonial chartes golf course with plans to takeoff when the WX passed. On landing we hit a small non visible 'mogul' on the fairway and collapsed the gear. There were no golfers on the course. Nobody was injured. The aircraft was removed the next day without incident for repair. No radio contacts were made. Cause: unusual WX -- fog at XA30 on summer afternoon. Prevention: completely avoid precipitation areas when VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL LANDED OFF ARPT AFTER ENCOUNTERING LOW CEILINGS, RAIN AND FOG WITHIN 6 MI OF THE ARPT. THE ACFT'S LNDG GEAR WAS COLLAPSED WHEN THE ACFT HIT A SMALL MOGUL.

Narrative: WATCHED WX ALL MORNING BEFORE XA15 DEP, LCL RAIN SHOWERS ONLY (WITHIN 30 MI), A FEW PASSED THROUGH IN THE MORNING. DEPARTED TO COLUMBIA, SC, FROM OCEAN ISLE, NC, IN 3500 FT, 5 MI WITH A BROKEN CEILING, NO RAIN. FLEW THROUGH SEVERAL VERY LIGHT RAIN AREAS AT 1500 FT WITH 3 MI THEN ABOUT 35 MI OUT CEILING BEGAN TO DROP AND RAIN INCREASED AND GND FOG APPEARED. TURNED AROUND TO RETURN TO DEP ARPT AND FLEW ABOUT 1000 FT IN 3 MI ACROSS LIGHT RAIN, THEN RAN INTO 500 FT CEILING WITH 1-2 MI AND MORE SCATTERED GND FOG IN ALL DIRECTIONS. 9 YR OLD DAUGHTER PAX (WITH LOTS OF FLYING EXPERIENCE) BECAME UPSET AND SAID 'DADDY, I DON'T LIKE THIS.' I HAD A GYROSCOPE AND BALL IN THE ACFT AS PARTIAL PANEL AND KNEW I COULD FLY 10 MI N AND GET OUT OF WX BUT ELECTED TO DO A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IN THE AREA WHERE WE WERE VFR BECAUSE OF DAUGHTER AND VERY UNPREDICTABLE, UNUSUAL LOCALIZED WX PHENOMENA. I THEN LANDED ON THE 9TH HOLE OF COLONIAL CHARTES GOLF COURSE WITH PLANS TO TKOF WHEN THE WX PASSED. ON LNDG WE HIT A SMALL NON VISIBLE 'MOGUL' ON THE FAIRWAY AND COLLAPSED THE GEAR. THERE WERE NO GOLFERS ON THE COURSE. NOBODY WAS INJURED. THE ACFT WAS REMOVED THE NEXT DAY WITHOUT INCIDENT FOR REPAIR. NO RADIO CONTACTS WERE MADE. CAUSE: UNUSUAL WX -- FOG AT XA30 ON SUMMER AFTERNOON. PREVENTION: COMPLETELY AVOID PRECIPITATION AREAS WHEN VFR.

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.