PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Other / Unknown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
General None Reported / Taken
Weather; Aircraft
Working Ground Control and CIC. Local noticed 7700 Code 10 south of the airport heading north. Tuned in Approach Control frequency and listened. [There were] numerous calls and no response from aircraft on RADAR and Tower frequencies. Weather had just moved in; low overcast and visibility dropping. Reported weather OVC007 vis 3SM. Observed target fly over the airport and circle. [I] caught a glimpse of lights through thin overcast. Aircraft continued to circle. Saw aircraft overhead diving through fog toward the runway. Aircraft in steep descent over runway; flared out at midfield landed and rolled out to the end. No communications on Tower frequencies. There were a few transmissions heard on RADAR but no real comm.
Tower Controller described an emergency event when traffic was observed on Code 7700; descended through a thin overcast layer and landed.