What happened
During the flight, the pilot reported encountering active thunderstorm activity along with a significant downdraft. This weather phenomenon resulted in a loss of approximately 400 feet of altitude. Following this event, the aircraft was landed in a corn field and sustained damage.
The incident occurred about 13 miles southeast of St. Louis. At the time, visibility was reported to be only 1.5 miles due to heavy thunderstorms. Conditions included hail and wind gusts reaching up to 30 knots.
The investigation
No mechanical examination or further investigative findings are detailed in the source text regarding the condition of the aircraft beyond the initial damage report.