American AA-1 accident near Covington, Tennessee, July 17, 1982
On July 17, 1982 at about 8:25 pm local time, a American AA-1, registered N5715L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Covington, Tennessee (Covington Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1982 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Tennessee · Covington Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1 · all AA-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5715L · no longer on the register · serial 0115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PILOT CHECKED HIS BRAKES TO INSURE THEIR INTEGRITY AND NOTED THAT THE LEFT BRAKE DID NOT HOLD PRESSURE. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 01 SINCE THE HANGAR AND RAMP AREAS WERE LOCATED AT THE NORTH END OF THE FIELD AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO TAXI A LONG WAY WITH AN INOPERATIVE BRAKE. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS HIGH AND FAST ON FINAL APPROACH AND TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1000 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 4000 FT RUNWAY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, HIT A DITCH AND FLIPPED OVER. THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 210 DEG AT 7 KTS. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE FLAPS WERE UP. A HYDRAULIC LEAK WAS FOUND AT THE 45 DEGREE FITTING AT THE BRAKE HOUSING.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,467 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M04 Covington TN at 2:30 pm
- Destination: M04 Covington TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 201°F (94°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from MEM, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.