# NTSB ERA21LA047: American Legend AL3, N30BX, Greenville, NC, November 16, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 16, 2020, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Greenville, NC - Coordinates: 35.613762, -77.345637 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6138&lon=-77.3456&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 102311 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA047 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102311/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102311 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA047 ## Probable cause The airplane’s collision with a bird during initial climb, which resulted in a forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he and his friend, who is also a flight instructor, were performing touch-and-go landings at different airports. After his last touch-and-go, and during climb out, he saw some turkey buzzards flying above the airplane. He decided to turn to the right to avoid the birds but one of the buzzards hit the propeller and the airplane started to violently shake. The flight instructor, seated in the rear seat, shut off the engine and took over control of the airplane. The flight instructor then located a field to land in. They landed with a tailwind and during the landing roll, they were getting close to some trees at the end of the field. The pilot was not sure if he depressed the brakes or the flight instructor did, or they both did, but the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted about 40 feet away from the trees, resulting in substantial damage to the rudder and wings. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N30BX](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N30BX), registered now, S/N AL-1095 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: American Legend AL3 - Registry model: [American Legend AL3](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-legend-al3) (registry code 060002K) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-200-series) (registry code 17402, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AL-1095 - Year built: 2007 - Airframe hours: 1184.5 - Engines: Continenental O-200-A48 100 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, February 2, 2020 - Departed: PGV, Greenville, NC - Destination: DSN, Winterville, NC - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review November 3, 2018; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 300 in this make and model - Flight instructor; age 64; injuries: none; flight instructor, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,517 total, 895 in this make and model, 137 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: KPGV, 2 nm away - METAR: KPGV 162015Z AUTO 30006KT 10SM CLR 17/M01 A3013 RMK AO2 ## 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 20201116014869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201116014869A), Nov 16, 2020: American Legend Aircraft Co AL3, Greenville, NC, Substantial damage. While in straight and level cruise flight, the aircraft hit a bird (believed to be a turkey vulture) the bird impacted the wooden prop which… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 24, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102311. 7.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11836643&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11637913&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview-pilot-Rel.pdf - Investigative photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11637712&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=investigative%20photo%27s-Rel.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.