# NTSB CEN11LA142: American Legend AL3, N102PJ, McKinney, TX, January 2, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 2, 2011, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: McKinney, TX - Coordinates: 33.208332, -96.741943 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2083&lon=-96.7419&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 78112 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11LA142 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78112/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78112 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA142 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of directional control during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was performing a landing when the airplane bounced several times before he lost control of the airplane. The airplane veered to the right and departed the runway. As the airplane continued through the grass, the right wing contacted a construction sign and impacted a ditch, coming to rest inverted. An eyewitness reported that the tailwheel never fully contacted the ground prior to departing the runway. No preimpact anomalies were reported by the pilot. ## Factual narrative On January 2, 2011, approximately 0900 central standard time, an American Legend Aircraft AL3, N102PJ, impacted an construction sign and nosed over following a runway excursion at the Aero Country Airport (T31), McKinney, Texas. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial crushing damage to the right wing and vertical stabilizer. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Shell Air LLC, Olathe, Kansas, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local training flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The local flight originated from T31 approximately 0855. According to a statement provided by the pilot, upon landing at the airport, the airplane bounced several times before he lost control of the airplane. The airplane veered to the right and departed the runway. After departing the runway the airplane's right wing struck a construction sign. The airplane then impacted a ditch and came to rest inverted. The pilot did not report any anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident landing. A certified flight instructor saw the landing and reported that the airplane's tailwheel did not appear to fully contact the ground prior to the airplane departing the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N102PJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N102PJ), registered now, S/N AL-1104 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMERICAN LEGEND AIRCRAFT CO AL3 - Registry model: [American Legend AL3](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-legend-al3) (registry code 060002K) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AL-1104 - Engines: Teledyne Continental O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Shell Air LLC - Registered owner: Shell Air LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Departed: T31, McKinney, TX - Destination: T31, McKinney, TX - Airport: T31, Aero Country, runway 35, 4,305 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 16; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.43 inHg - Observed at: TKI, 8 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110102000049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110102000049A), Jan 2, 2011: American Le AL3, Mckinney, TX, Substantial damage. On January 2, 2011 approximately 0900 central standard time, an American legend AL3, N102PJ, registered to shell air, LLC and operated by four winds aviation,… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 8, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78112. 52 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1: Not obtained (item 1, .PDF, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342748&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%3A%20Not%20obtained-Master.PDF - Witness Statement: Pilot statements (item 2, .PDF, 38 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342750&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%3A%20Pilot%20statements-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.