# Incident 20170107000049I: American Legend Aircraft Co AL3, Lowell, MI, January 7, 2017

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 7, 2017, 12:37 local time
- Place: Lowell, MI
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.9368° N, 85.3480° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Lowell, MI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9368&lon=-85.3480&mi=10
- Aircraft: N38LC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38LC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: American Legend AL3 (registry code 060002K, https://openairdocs.org/model/american-legend-al3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-200 series (registry code 17402, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN LEGEND AIRCRAFT CO AL3
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR O-200
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,000 total, 400 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170107000049I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JANUARY 07, 2017 AT 12:37 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST), A LEGEND  AL-3 AIRCRAFT, N38LC , REGISTERED TO JAMES E. BAKEMAN AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE WHEN BROKE THROUGH THIN ICE WHILE PRACTICING TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS ON MURRAY LAKE.

MARGINAL VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND STEADY WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PRIVATE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM LOWELL MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (24C), LOWELL, MI AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 EST.

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS PRACTICING TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS WITH WHEEL PENETRATING SKIS ON SEVERAL LOCAL LAKES THAT MORNING. DURING HIS LANDING ROLLOUT ON MURRAY LAKE, HE MADE A 180 DEGREE LEFT TURN TO BEGIN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL AND THE RIGHT SKI WENT THROUGH THE ICE FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT. THE FUSELAGE WAS QUICKLY SUBMERGED BUT THE WINGS, RESTING ON THE ICE PREVENTED THE AIRCRAFT FROM SINKING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE 100FT DEEP LAKE. LOCAL RESIDENTS REPORTED THAT THE ICE WAS ONLY A FEW INCHES THICK AND THE PILOT WAS RESCUED BY A NEIGHBOR WITH A KAYAK.

WEATHER AT KGRR AIRPORT AT 17:53 WAS: WIND 270 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS, VISIBILITY .75 STATUTE MILES WITH LIGHT SNOW, 1300 BROKEN, 2200 OVERCAST, TEMP 14, DEW POINT 09 AND ALTIMETER 3037.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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