# NTSB ERA20CA131: American Legand AL18, N23TN, Social Circle, GA, March 10, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 10, 2020, 16:45 local (20:45 UTC) - Place: Social Circle, GA - Coordinates: 33.685832, -83.64833 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6858&lon=-83.6483&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 27, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101093 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA131 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101093/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101093 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA131 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in the collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [American Legend AL18, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0600085), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [American Legend AL18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=0600085), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [American Legend AL18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=0600085), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [American Legend AL18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=0600085), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) - [Other: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [American Legend AL18, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=0600085), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was conducting a low pass through an abandoned power line easement on a small lake peninsula. He was flying directly into the wind, and as the airplane approached hilly terrain, the wind changed. The airplane then encountered turbulence and impacted terrain. The airplane subsequently bounced, and the pilot applied "heavy braking, The airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the right-wing strut and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, he was doing a low pass through an abandoned powerline easement on a small lake peninsula, which included a small hill. He was flying directly into the wind and as the airplane approached the hill, the wind direction changed as a result of the terrain, and the airplane encountered mechanical turbulence. The airplane wheels impacted the ground, the airplane bounced, and the pilot applied "heavy braking." Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the right-wing strut and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The winds reported at an airport 6 miles to the northwest of the accident location were variable from 270° to 330° at 7 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N23TN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N23TN), registered now, S/N AL-1206, built 2016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: American Legand Aircraft AL18 - Registry model: [American Legend AL18](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-legend-al18) (registry code 0600085) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming YO-233](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-yo-233) (registry code 42413, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AL-1206 - Year built: 2016 - Airframe hours: 101 - Engines: Lycoming YO-233-B2A 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2019 - Departed: 1GA9, Monroe, GA - Destination: 1GA9, Monroe, GA - Equipment: Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 21, 2019; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,553 total, 158 in this make and model, 4,125 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,400 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: D73, 6 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 20200310010019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200310010019A), Mar 10, 2020: American Legend Aircraft Co AL18, Social Circle, GA, Minor damage. Pilot reported he was out doing a pleasure flight over hard labor regional reservoir and saw a clearance at the end of a peninsula. He approach the peninsula… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101093. 8.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483506&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Map of Accident Location (item 2, .PDF, 155 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483507&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map%20of%20Accident%20Location-Master.PDF - Investigative Photographs (item 3, .PDF, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483508&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-Master.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.