On August 9, 1982, a Grumman AA-1 (registration N5628L) operated by Richard Summes was involved in an aviation accident near Lafayette, TN. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft crashed while attempting to land in a field under IFR conditions after the pilot reported losing the top engine cowling. Witnesses reported overcast at 100 feet and visibility under half a mile in fog.
Incident Overview
An aircraft crashed while apparently trying to land in a field during instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions. The pilot had just transmitted a mayday call stating that the top engine cowling had been lost. It could not be determined whether the cowling loss occurred before or after the aircraft entered the weather.
Weather Conditions
Witnesses reported an overcast ceiling of 100 feet and visibility less than one-half mile in fog. The official weather data recorded at Bowling Green, Kentucky, was consistent with these observations.
Investigation
The investigation did not establish a probable cause for the accident.