Amateur-built COZY accident near Covington, Tennessee, May 7, 1996
On May 7, 1996 at about 11:05 pm local time, a amateur-built COZY, registered N86LM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Covington, Tennessee (Covington Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The clogged fuel strainer that resulted in an engine stoppage. A factor was the lack of a suitable landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1996 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Tennessee · Covington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built COZY
- Registration
- N86LM · registry record · serial 006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: 787 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 726 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 407 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 1996; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M04 at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,998 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from NQA, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.