Covington Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Covington, Tennessee 38019
Tuesady, May 7, 1996 18:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The engine carburetor had been replaced about four days prior to the accident. The pilot stated that he had been airborne, over the airport, about 35 minutes with the engine operating satisfactorily. He initiated touch and go landings. During one takeoff, the engine quit about 150 feet above the ground. A forced landing was made to the only available landing site, a soft muddy field, made so by recent rains. The airplane nosed over after the landing. An inspector stated that post-accident examination of the engine revealed that the fuel strainer was clogged with foreign material that appeared to be from the fuel tanks.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The clogged fuel strainer that resulted in an engine stoppage. A factor was the lack of a suitable landing site.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1805
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COVINGTON
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38019
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COVINGTON MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M04
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 145
Airport Elevation 280
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID NQA
Elevation of weather observation facility 320
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1894
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 8 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N86LM
NTSB Number ATL96LA085
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MERLE MUSSON
Aircraft Model COZY
Aircraft Series Identifier COZY
Aircraft Serial Number 006
Certified Max Gross Weight 1700
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 15 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 407
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES PITMAN/VALERIE HARRIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3065 THE WILLOWS PLACE
Aircraft Owner City MEMPHIS
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38119
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT W. HARRIS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3065 THE WILLOWS PLACE
Operator City MEMPHIS
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38119
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code M04
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 4998
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --